Tinubu makes U-turn, reverses Dankaka’s reappointment as FCC chair

President Bola Tinubu has relieved Muheeba Dankaka of her role as executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) — hours after her reappointment for a second five-year term was announced by the presidency. 

Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy, had earlier announced Dankaka’s reappointment in a statement issued on Monday.

The president had also appointed Mohammed Musa as the commission’s secretary and retained Kayode Oladele from Ogun as commissioner.

However, in a fresh statement issued shortly afterwards, the presidency announced that Ayo Omidiran, a former house of representatives member, would succeed Dankaka as chairperson of the FCC.

“Omidiran succeeds Dr Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure was dogged by controversy,” the statement reads. 

The president appointed Musa as the commission’s secretary while retaining Oladele as commissioner.

Oladele, a former house of representatives member, was appointed by Tinubu in 2024 and served as the commission’s acting chairman.

The president renewed the appointments of Lawal Ya’u Roni, Abubakar Atiku Bunu, and Eludayo Eluyemi, who represent Jigawa, Kebbi, and Osun states respectively.

Tinubu reappointed Abdulwasiu Kayode Bawalla as the commissioner from Lagos state.

A REIGN OF CONTROVERSY

In July 2023, some FCC commissioners accused Dankaka of high-handedness and job racketeering.

The commissioners spoke when they appeared before the house of representatives ad hoc committee set up to investigate ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), parastatals, and tertiary institutions on recruitment, employment racketeering, and the mismanagement of the integrated payroll and personnel information system (IPPIS).

They claimed that Dankaka was running the commission aground in gross violation of the FCC enabling act — an allegation she denied.

In June, a group called ‘Concerned staff members of the FCC’ said “to reappoint Dankaka would not only reward failure — it would legitimize corruption, deepen division and destroy the last threads of trust in the FCC”.

“The presidency must listen to the workers, commissioners, whistleblowers, and civil society groups who have consistently spoken out. Muheeba Dankaka must not return to the office,” their statement reads.