The Senate has confirmed Hon. Ayo Hulayat Omidiran as Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), alongside 37 Commissioners representing the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in a major step toward revitalising the agency responsible for equitable representation in federal appointments.
The confirmation followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, chaired by Senator Allwell Heacho Onyesoh (Rivers East), which screened all nominees on November 13.
Presenting the report, Senator Onyesoh said every nominee appeared before the panel and was found competent and constitutionally qualified for the role.
“The committee did not receive any criminal petitions against any of the nominees. They submitted all required documents and demonstrated the capacity expected for these positions,” he stated.
He noted that the vetting process covered curriculum vitae assessment, Police, DSS and Code of Conduct Bureau clearances, as well as a rigorous question-and-answer session.
Earlier, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion urged the chamber to dissolve into the Committee of the Whole for full consideration of the nominees. Supporting the motion, Deputy Minority Leader Senator Oyewumi praised both the selection and the experience of the nominees.
“From their résumés, they have served at different levels locally and internationally. I commend Mr President for choosing them, especially Hon. Omidiran,” Oyewumi said.
Declaring the Senate’s decision, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, confirmed Omidiran as FCC Chairman and approved the 37 state Commissioners. He also commended Senator Onyesoh for what he described as an “exceptionally thorough and painstaking” screening process.
The confirmation mark a significant milestone in strengthening the Federal Character Commission, mandated to uphold fairness, equity, and balanced distribution of public offices across Nigeria’s federating units.
