The acting Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Kayode Oladele, has said appointments under President Bola Tinubu reflect a numerical advantage for the northern region.

He spoke in Abuja at the opening of a one day workshop titled: ‘Strengthening Leadership and Management Excellence in the Federal Character Commission in Line with the Renewed Hope Agenda’. Oladele said the administration’s appointments are guided by the constitutional principles of equity and national balance.

Citing data compiled by the Commission, Oladele noted that the north currently holds 56.3 per cent of federal leadership positions, while the south accounts for 43.7 per cent.

“These figures provide clear evidence of deliberate inclusion and underscore the President’s commitment to national balance and faithful implementation of the Federal Character principle,” Premium Times quoted Oladele as saying.

According to the FCC analysis, the north-west and south-west have the highest number of ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet, with 11 each — representing 22.9 per cent of the 48-member team. The north-central follows with eight ministers (16.6 per cent), while the north-east has seven (14.5 per cent).

The southsouth and south-east have six (12.5 per cent) and five (10.4 per cent) ministers, respectively. Beyond the cabinet, the data show that the north-west holds the largest share of federal leadership appointments with 157 positions, or 22.1 per cent. The north-central zone has 139 positions (19.5 per cent) and the south-west follows closely with 132 (18.5 per cent).

The north-east accounts for 105 positions (14.7 per cent), while the southsouth and south-east have 91 (12.8 per cent) and 88 (12.4 per cent), respectively.

Oladele noted that the figures point to a deliberate attempt by the Tinubu administration to balance representation, noting that federal character is not a rigid quota but a principle designed to promote unity in diversity.

While the data cover major appointments, they exclude special advisers, senior special assistants, and other presidential aides, as well as the service chiefs and heads of law enforcement and security agencies.

Oladele said the Commission remains committed to deepening compliance with the federal character principle across ministries, departments, and agencies.