Tinubu seeks Senate approval for 15-member NHRC board

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has initiated a sweeping reconstitution of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), forwarding a 15-member list to the Senate for confirmation in what the Presidency describes as a push to reinforce Nigeria’s human rights architecture.

The request, formally transmitted to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read on the floor during Tuesday’s plenary, seeks to re-establish the commission’s governing board in compliance with existing legal provisions.

Tinubu urged the Senate to approve the appointment of Dr Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman as chairman of the board, while the current Executive Secretary, Dr Anthony Ojukwu (SAN), is retained in his role.

The nomination slate features 13 additional members drawn from a mix of professional constituencies, reflecting an attempt at broad-based representation. Among them are media figures Ayo Adewuyi of the Nigerian Television Authority and Maupe Ogun of Channels Television, alongside legal practitioner Chinonye Obiaku (SAN).

In his correspondence, Tinubu cited Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010 as the legal basis for the appointments, noting that the president is empowered to constitute the board subject to legislative approval.

He argued that reconstituting the commission is “necessary to enhance the institutional capacity” of the NHRC, enabling it to more effectively carry out its mandate of promoting and protecting human rights nationwide.

Following the presentation, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, directing it to conduct screening and report back within two weeks.

If cleared, the incoming board will assume responsibility for steering the commission at a time when scrutiny over human rights enforcement and institutional accountability remains high, placing the NHRC at the centre of Nigeria’s evolving governance and rights landscape.