Thirty seven out of 38 nominees sent to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari for confirmation as members of the Board of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) have been confirmed by the Senate.
Those confirmed on Tuesday include the chairman Dr Muheeba Dankaka and the secretary Mohammed Bello Tukur which caused a drama in the red chamber as the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP) Abia South), kicked against the emerging situation of Nigerians from the same part of the country occupying the Chairmanship and Secretaryship positions of the commission.
Abaribe who made the observation before confirmation of appointments of the nominees said the two principal positions in the commission have always been occupied on the basis of North and South.
According to him, over the years, while competent Nigerians from the North have been appointed as Chairman of the Commission, Secretary to the Commission has always been from the south in line with section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“Appointment of Mohammed Bello Tukur from Taraba State in 2017 as Secretary of the Commission by President Muhammad Buhari, gave the impression that a new Chairman would be from the South but the nomination of Dr Muheeba Dankaka from Kwara State as the new chairman, violates the age-long principle.
“The Senate needs to look into this in the spirit of the principles of the federal character itself “, he said.
But by way of intervention, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, said the submission of Abaribe is targetted at the powers of President Buhari on nomination and appointment of competent Nigerians into public office.
He added that though the issue of balancing raised by Abaribe as regards the two principalship positions of the commission is germane perceived anomalies would be corrected in months to come.
“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 a window of redressing perceived anomaly in few months time, I will urge us to please forge ahead with the confirmation”, he said.
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 Deborah 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.