In a political twist that left many Nigerians scratching their heads, President Bola Tinubu on Monday appointed Muheeba Dankaka as chairperson of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) — then sacked her barely four hours later.
Dankaka’s “reappointment” was announced at 6:35 p.m., with presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirming she would serve another five-year term alongside new FCC secretary Mohammed Musa and a slate of state commissioners. By 10:44 p.m., however, another statement from the presidency reversed course, naming former lawmaker Ayo Hulayat Omidiran as the new chair.
The dramatic U-turn caught even senior figures off guard. The Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, publicly congratulated Dankaka in the early hours of Tuesday, praising her “excellent performance” and pledging support for her — seemingly unaware her tenure had already been terminated.
While the list of commissioners remained mostly unchanged, the revision added Abdulwasiu Kayode Bawalla as Lagos representative. Omidiran, a former House of Representatives member from Osun State, now takes the helm of the FCC, which oversees fair representation in federal jobs and resource allocation.
Dankaka’s exit ends a turbulent first term marked by controversy, but the abrupt reversal adds to a growing list of appointment blunders under the Tinubu administration. Since May 2023, the presidency has repeatedly issued — and withdrawn — official appointments, prompting criticism over what some see as sloppy, avoidable errors in government communication.
