North leads with 56% of Tinubu’s federal appointments, says FCC acting chair

Kayode Oladele, acting chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), says appointments under President Bola Tinubu reflect a numerical advantage for the northern region.

He spoke in Abuja at the opening of a one-day workshop titled ‘Strengthening Leadership and Management Excellence in the Federal Character Commission in Line with the Renewed Hope Agenda’.

Oladele said the administration’s appointments are guided by the constitutional principles of equity and national balance.

Citing data compiled by the commission, Oladele noted that the north currently holds 56.3 percent of federal leadership positions, while the south accounts for 43.7 percent.

“These figures provide clear evidence of deliberate inclusion and underscore the President’s commitment to national balance and faithful implementation of the Federal Character principle,” Premium Times quoted Oladele as saying.

According to the FCC analysis, the north-west and south-west have the highest number of ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet, with 11 each — representing 22.9 percent of the 48-member team.

The north-central follows with eight ministers (16.6 percent), while the north-east has seven (14.5 percent). The south-south and south-east have six (12.5 percent) and five (10.4 percent) ministers, respectively.

Beyond the cabinet, the data show that the north-west holds the largest share of federal leadership appointments with 157 positions, or 22.1 percent.

The north-central zone has 139 positions (19.5 percent), and the south-west follows closely with 132 (18.5 percent). The north-east accounts for 105 positions (14.7 percent), while the south-south and south-east have 91 (12.8 percent) and 88 (12.4 percent), respectively.

Oladele noted that the figures point to a deliberate attempt by the Tinubu administration to balance representation, noting that federal character is not a rigid quota but a principle designed to promote unity in diversity.

While the data cover major appointments, they exclude special advisers, senior special assistants, and other presidential aides, as well as the service chiefs and heads of law enforcement and security agencies.

Oladele said the commission remains committed to deepening compliance with the federal character principle across ministries, departments, and agencies.