Thursday July 03, 2025
By Ukeme ASUQUO
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has removed Idris Olorunnimbe as chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC.
He appointed former Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Umaru Al-Makura, as his replacement.
The change in leadership was confirmed during the official inauguration of the new UBEC board, held on Tuesday, July 1, in Abuja.
The event was overseen by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
Olorunnimbe had been appointed to the position in March 2025 but was quietly replaced within a few months.
No official explanation was given for his removal.
Tanko Al-Makura, who now takes over the role, served as governor of Nasarawa State from 2011 to 2019 and later represented Nasarawa South in the Senate from 2019 to 2023.
Beyond politics, he has a background in agriculture, machinery, hospitality, and real estate.
As chairman of the UBEC board, Al-Makura is expected to lead efforts in shaping policies and working closely with stakeholders to improve access to basic education across the country.