Oyebanji expresses support for Omidiran’s FCC reform agenda

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), the Hon. Hulayat Motunrayo Omidiran, on Tuesday said the Commission must reposition itself as a more responsive, transparent and innovative institution capable of strengthening national cohesion and restoring public trust through the effective implementation of the principle of federal character.

Hon Omidiran made the statement in his welcome address at the opening of the 2026 Executive and Management Leadership Retreat of the FCC in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State, themed: “Repositioning the Commission on Federal Character for Institutional Renewal, Leadership Cohesion and National Relevance”.

The retreat will be attended as a special guest by the former First Lady of Osun State and wife of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Kafayat Oyetola.

Welcoming the Honorable Commissioners, senior staff and invited guests, the FCC Chairman described the retreat as a defining moment in the Commission’s evolution, saying it provides a strategic platform to deepen collaboration between the Board and management, strengthen institutional capacity, and develop practical strategies to strengthen the Commission’s constitutional mandate.

“As a constitutional institution charged with promoting and enforcing the principle of federal character, our responsibility extends beyond regulatory oversight. We must continually strengthen our institutional capacity, uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, and reposition the Commission to respond effectively to the evolving expectations of Nigerians. The outcome of this retreat must position the Commission for greater effectiveness, institutional renewal and national relevance,” Omidiran said.

Representing the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, welcomed the participants to Ekiti and expressed the governor’s strong support for the Commission’s efforts to reposition itself as the most effective institution to promote equity, inclusion and national unity.

Delivering the governor’s keynote address, Prof. Adubiaro said the theme of the retreat is consonant with Nigeria’s aspiration for unity through equity and equal opportunities, stressing that the FCC remains indispensable in promoting balanced representation, social justice and national integration.

“The Federal Character Commission holds a strategic position in advancing national integration, promoting social justice and strengthening trust in public institutions. At a time when Nigerians increasingly demand fairness, transparency and inclusiveness in governance, your work has never been more important. I call on participants to generate practical and innovative solutions that will further strengthen the Commission’s effectiveness, credibility and public impact,” the governor said.

The five-day retreat, which will be held from Tuesday, July 7 to Saturday, July 11, 2026, is led by the Principal Facilitator, Mr. Olusade Adesola, Retired Permanent Secretary of the Federal Civil Service, together with the Principal Co-Facilitator, Mr. Humphrey Ukah.

Participants examined key issues including the constitutional and statutory framework of the FCC as a panacea for national equity and cohesion in Nigeria, as presented by Hon. Pam Botmang, and Leadership, Public Trust and Institutional Renewal in the Public Service to Restore Public Confidence in National Institutions, by former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi.

The retreat also features case studies on successful institutional reforms, with Prof. Chris Kwaja of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, presenting lessons from Rwanda, while Mr. Idowu Bakare, Chancellor of the National Assembly Committee on Federal Character, examines the US model.

The sessions are expected to produce practical recommendations to reposition the Commission to more effectively fulfill its constitutional mandate and strengthen national cohesion.