President Tinubu has come under fire over the exclusion of selected officials from South East in Census Committee.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports President Bola Tinubu is facing growing backlash following the exclusion of South-East representatives from the newly constituted Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census, a move critics say threatens the integrity of the entire exercise.
A House of Representatives member, Hon. Obi Aguocha on Tuesday openly criticized the President, demanding an immediate dissolution and reconstitution of the committee. Aguocha, who represents the Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, described the committee’s current composition as “alarming and unacceptable.”
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“This is not just a political oversight; it’s a direct affront to equity and fairness,” Aguocha declared. “Any national census that begins with exclusion is destined to produce distorted, biased results.”
The eight-member panel, inaugurated on April 16, 2025, by the President’s Chief of Staff, is made up of senior government officials but not a single representative from the South-East. This glaring omission has ignited outrage among stakeholders, who argue that such lopsided representation violates the federal character principle enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution.
Aguocha warned that the legitimacy of the first population census in nearly two decades now hangs in the balance. “We cannot afford another flawed headcount. If this committee is to lead a credible census, it must reflect the full diversity of Nigeria; starting with the inclusion of every region.”
Meanwhile, NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Nigeria’s last census, conducted in 2006, was marred by controversy, with accusations of political manipulation and unreliable figures. Critics fear history may be repeating itself unless urgent corrective steps are taken.
As of press time, the Presidency has not responded to the growing calls for action.
