The 17 federal commissioners of the National Population Commission, whom President Bola Tinubu nominated in November, have taken the oath of office.
In three batches of six, six, and five, the 17 new and returning commissioners took the oath of office on Wednesday afternoon in the council chamber of the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.
President Tinubu appointed 20 federal commissioners to the NPC on November 8, 2023, nine of whom were nominated for another term.
He sent the Senate the names of 19 of the 20 nominees for confirmation one month later, on December 12.
However, only 17 appeared for the Senate’s screening on February 24, 2024, and were subsequently confirmed.
They include Emmanuel Eke (Abia); Clifford Zirra (Adamawa); Chidi Ezeoke (Anambra); Isa Buratal (Borno); Alex Ukam (Cross River); Blessyn Brume-Maguha (Delta) and Jeremiah Ogbonna Nwankwegu (Ebonyi).
Others are Tony Alyejina (Edo); Ejike Ezeh (Enugu); Abubakar Damburam (Gombe); Uba Nnabue (Imo); Sa’adatu Garba (Kaduna); Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa (Kano); Yori Afolabii (Kogi); Mary Afan (Plateau); Saany Sale (Taraba) and Ogiri Henry (Rivers).
Olakunle Sobukola (Ogun) and Temitayo Oluwatiyi (Ondo), two nominees, were not screened because they did not show up for the Committee meeting.
On that day, Sobukola and Oluwatiyi’s absence was attributed to “recent political developments in their states,” according to already suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central). Ningi is the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Population.
The Federal Executive Council began its ninth meeting of the government with a minute of silence in honor of former State Minister for Health Gabriel Aduku.
