A sociopolitical group, Tinubu Network Organization (TNO) has refuted what it referred to as “spurious and unfounded agitation-based allegations” levelled against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, by a few sponsored Northern groups over the recent reversal of the appointment of the embattled ex-chairperson of the Federal Character Commission, FCC, Ms Muheeba Farida Dankaka, and her immediate replacement by the former Federal Lawmaker from the South, Hon. Ayo Hulayat Omidiran.
In a release by Osun State Chapter Chairman of the Organization, Dr. Jimoh Olorede, Dankaka’s appointment in 2020 by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari was said to have been made in error, in the first instance, as it further perpetuated the 29-year old hegemony and sole control of the chairmanship position of the Commission by the North in defiance to the body’s mandate and principles of fairness, equity and balance since its creation by Decree No. 34 of 1996.
“You would recall that in February 2020 while reacting to the nomination and confirmation of Ms Muheeba Dankaka as the new FCC Chairperson at the floor of the Senate, the Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) protested against her confirmation for reasons of what he described as lopsidedness of appointment into the Commission and the emerging situation of Nigerians from the same part of the country occupying the chairmanship and secretaryship positions in the FCC.
“The Senator added that appointment of Mohammed Bello Tukur from Taraba State in 2017 as Secretary of the Commission gave the impression that a new Chairman would be from the South, kicking against the nomination of Ms Muheeba Dankaka from Kwara State, same Northern region, and added that it violated the age-long principles of the Commission”, the release stated.
Furthermore, it addressed credibility issues against the ex-chairperson as said to have been raised by a prominent Lawmaker, Hon. Oluwole Oke (PDP, now APC, Osun State) when Dankaka lied, feigning ill-health to avoid appearance before the House of Representatives (HoRs) Ad-hoc Committee set up in 2023 to investigate her involvement in the allegations of corruption in personnel recruitment, employment racketeering and gross mismanagement of the IPPIS at the National Assembly, Abuja.
As further stated in the release, Ms Dankaka’s questionable character demeaned her integrity and reputation as evident in the series of internal and external public petitions and protests, including the recent demonstration against her administration by her own members of staff at the headquarters and all the 37 state offices of the Commission across the federation.
The group said: “First is her unaccredited honourary PhD claimed to have been awarded by Pacific Western University, Denver Colorado, USA, Owerri study centre, Nigeria, which had been declared illegal and consequently shut down by the National University Commission (NUC), according to a human rights group, LYGEL Youth and Leadership Initiative in its petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding Dankaka’s inconsistent and falsified academic credentials.
“In 2021, a large group of protesters under the aegis of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) led by its former president, Muritala Gamji stormed the Headquarters of the Commission demanding her removal from office.
“Also, In 2023, 29 out of 36 Commissioners representing 29 states of the federation jointly wrote and signed a letter to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, where therein they passed a resolution on their dissociation from job racketeering allegations against the FCC, and a vote of no confidence on the Executive Chairperson, Ms Muheeba Dankaka.
“But for corruption, the embattled ex-chairperson ought to have been sacked before the expiration of her 5-year tenure which, as rightly stated by the Special Adviser to the President, Bayo Onanuga, was dogged by controversies, and on the basis of which her reappointment was immediately reversed by the Presidency.”
It added that all the allegations and petitions written to the Presidency, EFCC, ICPC, and many protests regarding falsification, high-handedness, extra-budgetary spending, and numerous other corrupt practices and gross misconduct levelled against Ms Dankaka, especially open protests by the Commissioners and her own staff at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, including her former Personal Assistant on Protocol, Haruna Kolo, who testified openly against his autocratic master on issues of job racketeering and bribery at the floor of the National Assembly during the HoRs Ad-hoc Committee chaired by Hon. Yusuf Gagdi (PDP, Plateau State) on investigation of her maladministration, cannot all be incorrect and false, as there can’t be smoke without fire.”
The group therefore, berated paid Northern critics for absurdly threatening and criticizing the President on the paradigm shift of the 29- year Northern hegemony over the South in the chairmanship position of the FCC, and for attributing Dankaka’s ineptitude, inadequacy and personality flaw-based failure to Tinubu and Oyetola.
