President Bola Tinubu on Monday made and reversed a major appointment within hours, reappointing Muheeba Dankaka as chairperson of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) at 6:35 p.m., only to replace her with former lawmaker Ayo Hulayat Omidiran by 10:44 p.m.
The unprecedented flip-flop has caused widespread confusion, with some stakeholders, including the Emir of Ilorin, issuing statements congratulating Ms. Dankaka on her “reappointment” even after Mr Tinubu had withdrawn it.
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In its first statement, signed by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the presidency announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved a second five-year term for Ms. Dankaka, alongside the appointment of Mohammed Musa as the Commission’s secretary and a full list of state commissioners.
Kayode Oladele, from Ogun State, was retained as commissioner after having served as acting chair following the expiration of Ms. Dankaka’s first term.
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But less than four hours later, the presidency issued another statement “superseding the earlier one,” announcing Ms. Omidiran as the new FCC chair.
The reversal effectively ended Ms. Dankaka’s tenure, which had been marred by controversy. The new list of appointees was largely unchanged except for the inclusion of Abdulwasiu Kayode Bawalla as Lagos commissioner.
Ms. Omidiran, a former member of the House of Representatives from Osun State, is now tasked with steering the commission, which is responsible for ensuring equitable representation in federal appointments and resource distribution.
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In the early hours of Tuesday, apparently unaware of the reversal, the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, publicly thanked Mr. Tinubu for reappointing Ms. Dankaka, one of his subjects. He hailed her “excellent performance” and pledged support for her continued service — a message now rendered obsolete by President Tinubu’s U-turn.
The episode adds to a growing list of appointment blunders under the Tinubu administration. Since taking office in May 2023, the presidency has repeatedly had to amend or withdraw announced appointments, drawing criticism over what many see as avoidable sloppiness in official communications.
These episodes highlight a recurring theme of appointment disarray, marked by rushed decisions, procedural lapses, and reversals—underscoring growing concerns about administrative competence and control within the Tinubu administration.
