Group seeks reappointment of Dankaka as FCC boss

By : Collins Olayinka, Abuja

Date: 28 June 2025 3:53am WAT

Chairman, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Farida Muheeba Dankaka, when she appeared before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee to investigate Federal Ministries, Department and Agencies(MDAs), Parastatals and Tertiary institution on mismanagement of Personnel Recruitment, Employment Racketeering And Gross Mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System(IPPIS), at the National Assembly in Abuja, on August 7, 2023. Photo: Lucy Ladidi Ateko.

A group, the Women Liberty Forum, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reappoint Dr Muheeba Farida Dankaka, as the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) when her tenure expires on July 2, 2025.

Recall that some FCC workers, under the umbrella of the Joint Negotiating Council (Tripartite Union), had embarked on a protest recently, accusing Dankaka of mismanagement, corruption, abuse of office and disregard for civil service regulations; thereby crippling the commission’s operations.

However, the Women Liberty Forum insisted that Dankaka has demonstrated transparency in office, hence the appeal to President Tinubu to reappoint her for a second term.

Led by Sidikat Ayobami, the group argued that Dankaka has distinguished herself through her exceptional leadership, introducing landmark reforms that have significantly improved the commission’s operations.

Ayobami highlighted that under Dankaka’s tenure, the FCC has undergone transformative changes, particularly in the fight against corruption, pointing out that reappointing her would ensure both gender and regional balance in governance.

Ayobami added: “On the transparency front, the FCC boss demonstrated a commitment to the release of draft orders to the public at the same time they are circulated internally, which has reduced the secrecy that encouraged corruption and systemic fraud at the agency before her appointment.

“Part of what seems to have angered antagonists is that the step has reduced the powers of the commissioners and special interests to manipulate the system during the period before the FCC takes decisions on important items.

“Under Dankaka’s leadership, the FCC has also limited the powers of the commission’s staff to make substantive edits to the agency’s orders and to settle certain investigations without the chairman’s approval.

“These changes have helped shift powers away from the permanent bureaucracies to the more politically accountable agency’s heads.

“Also, the introduction of a centralised department of monitoring and implementation has reflected Dankaka’s commitment to fulfilling her mandate.

“The creation of the Office of Economics and Analytics has equally helped concentrate the FCC’s economics talents and integrate them more systematically into the commission’s operations.”