The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Monitoring and Evaluation of House Standing and Ad hoc Committees, Obi Aguocha, has called for the reconstitution of the Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census over the exclusion of the South-East.
Aguocha noted that if the process is questionable, there is no how the results of the population census will be credible, fair and acceptable.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, Aguocha noted that the exclusion of South
-East from the membership of the committee requires its reconstitution.
“I agreed that credible census will lead to equitable distribution of resources and even growth and development but if the process is questionable, it is going to be difficult to get a transparent, credible and acceptable results,” he said.
Aguocha who represents Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency of Abia State, expressed concern over the exclusion of the South-East from the committee.
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reconstitute the committee in such a way that it will reflect federal character principles.
Tinubu had, through his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, penultimate Wednesday, 16th April, 2025, inaugurated Presidential Committee on Population and Housing Census chaired by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu.
The Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Mr. Nasir Isa Kwarra, will serve as the Committee Secretary,
Other members of the eight-member committee include the Minister of Information, Alhaji Muhammed Idris Malagi, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji; Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri Okunola, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Operations (Office of the Chief of Staff), Mrs Nathan-Marsh.
The last census in Nigeria was conducted in 2006. It produced a population figure of 140 million.
The census was however criticised for several reasons.