Federal Character Commission: Senate Confirm Nominees amid protest

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South), has kicked against what he described as a disturbing trend in appointment of Secretaries and the Chairman of the Commission by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senator Abaribe’s position followed the confirmation of 37 out of 38 nominees forwarded to the Senate by President Buhari as Chairman and members of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
Abaribe, who said the two principal positions in the commission have always been occupied on the basis of North and South, said over the years, while competent Nigerians from the North have been appointed as Chairman of the Commission, the Secretary has always been from the south in line with section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
He said: “Appointment of Mohammed Bello Tukur from Taraba State in 2017 as Secretary of the Commission by President Muhamnadu Buhari, gave the impression that a new Chairman would be from the South but nomination of Dr Muheeba Dankaka from Kwara State as the new chairman, violated the age long principle. 
“The Senate needs to look into this in the spirit of principle of federal character itself.”


Speaking on this development by way of intervention, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, said that perceived anomalies would be corrected in months to come.
He said: “President Buhari is aware of the need to balance the positions and will do that when the tenure of the incumbent secretary expires in February next year.
“Mr President, this issue has been in the public domain since the nominees were sent here for confirmation and since there is window of redressing perceived anomaly in  few months time, I will urge us to please forge ahead with the confirmation.” 
Consequently the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan concurred to the submission by presenting names of the nominees for confirmation which were done through voice votes.
Aside the Chairman, other nominees confirmed were Henry Ogbulogo, Abia; Salihu Bello, Adamawa; Obonganwan Dborah Daniel Ebony, Akwa-Ibom; Ibeabuchi Uche, Anambra; Mohammed Tijjani, Bauchi; Tonye Okio, Bayelsa; Silas Mfa Macikpah, Benue; Abba Ali Monguno, Borno; Nsor Atamgba, Cross River; and Alims Agoda.
Others are: Tobias Chukuemeka, Ebonyi; Imuetinyan Festus, Edo; Sesan Fatoba; Ginika Florence Tor, Enugu; Hamza Mohammed, Gombe; Diogu Uche, Imo; Lawan Ya’u Roni, Jigawa; Hadiza Usman Muazu, Kaduna; Mohammed Awwal Na’iya, Kano; Lawal Garba, Katsina; Abubakar Atiku Bunu, Kebbi; Idris Eneye Bello, Kogi;  Are Miftah Bolaji, Lagos; Nasir Isa Kwarra, Nasarawa; and Suleiman Barau, Niger. 
Also confirmed are Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, Ogun; Olufemi Omosanya, Ondo; Adeoye Abdularazaq Olalekan, Osun; Adeniyi Olowofela, Oyo; Stephen Jings, Plateau; Wokocha Augustine, Rivers; Abdullahi Taminu Tafida, Sokoto; Alhaji Armaya’u Dauda Abubakar, Taraba; Jibril Maigari, Yobe; Sani Garba, Zamfara; and Adamu Mohammed Sidi-Ali and  Federal Capital Territory. 

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