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Declare Omo-Agege’s Suspension Unlawful, FG Tells Court

Published

8 years ago

May 1, 2018

Eric

The Federal Government has described as unlawful the processes that resulted in the Senate’s suspension of Delta State senator, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Mr Omo-Agege was suspended for describing the Senate’s decision to amend the Electoral Act as a plot against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Omo-Agege apologised for his comments, but was suspended anyway for 90 legislative days for taking the matter to court.

Speaking during Monday’s court proceedings on the application filed by Mr Omo-Agege, Nigeria’s solicitor-general, Dayo Apata, asked the court to regard the processes preceding the suspension as unlawful.

“The action of the Senate leading to the suspension of the senator are unlawful. The court should hold so,” said Mr Apata.

Speaking earlier, the counsel representing Mr Omo-Agege, Alex Izinyon, said the senator sought to challenge the abuse of his fundamental rights.

Mr Izinyon said the procedure adopted by the Senate committee in enforcing the suspension violates Mr Omo-Agege’s rights.

“It is a violation of order 2 rule (2) (3) of the fundamental rights enforcements procedure rule 2009,” Mr. Izinyon said.

Responding, the counsel for the Senate, Mahmud Magaji, said Mr Omo-Agege had been a member of the same committee and participated actively during the suspension of other members, including former majority leader, Ali Ndume.

Mr Magaji therefore described as surprising the reaction of Mr Omo-Agege to his own suspension.

“He who lives by the sword should die by the sword,” said Mr Magaji.

The court adjourned May 10 for a ruling.

Earlier, the judge, Nnamdi Dimgba, dismissed an application by a counsel representing the Senate committee on ethics and privileges, seeking to be joined in the matter.

The counsel, Paul Erokoro, asked the court to allow his application on the grounds that whatever decision is reached on the matter, ‘will affect his client’.

The application to join was objected by Messrs Apata and Izinyon. Both lawyers said the inclusion of the Senate in the application had rendered unnecessary the addition of any committee under the Senate.

They submitted that documents before the court already showed that the Senate was in charge of every committee or agency under it, so the presence of a committee under the senate was no longer necessary.

The court dismissed the application for lacking in merit.

“I am of the strong and unambiguous view that this application deserves to fail,” Mr Dimgba ruled.

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Appeal Court Affirms Ruling Barring VIO from Impounding Vehicles, Fining Motorists

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday upheld the judgment that stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from seizing vehicles or imposing fines on motorists.

In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appellate court found no basis to set aside the Federal High Court’s ruling of October 16, 2024, which restrained the VIO from harassing motorists.

The appeal filed by the VIO was dismissed for lacking merit. Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi delivered in the lead judgment.

The high court had earlier ruled, in a judgment by Justice Nkeonye Maha, that no law authorizes the VIO to stop motorists, impound vehicles, or impose penalties for alleged traffic offences.

The case arose from a fundamental rights suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023) filed by lawyer Abubakar Marshal.

Marshal informed the court that VIO officials stopped him at Jabi in Abuja on December 12, 2023, and seized his vehicle without lawful reason. He asked the court to determine whether their actions violated his rights.

Justice Maha agreed and ordered the VIO and its agents not to impound vehicles or impose fines on motorists, describing the actions as unlawful. She held that only a court can impose fines or sanctions.

She ruled that the VIO’s conduct breached the applicant’s constitutional right to property under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 14 of the African Charter. She further held that the VIO has no legal authority to seize vehicles or penalize motorists, as doing so infringes on rights to fair hearing, movement and presumption of innocence.

Although Marshal, represented by Femi Falana, SAN, requested ₦500 million in damages and a public apology, the court awarded ₦2.5 million.

The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, its Director, its Abuja Area Commander at the time (identified as Mr. Leo), team leader Solomon Onoja, and the FCT Minister were listed as respondents.

They appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

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Tinubu Nominates Ibas, Dambazau, Enang, Ohakim As Ambassadors

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State and a former Chief of Naval Staff, as a non-career ambassador.

Tinubu also nominated Ita Enang, a former senator; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and ex-Chief of Army Staff, as non-career ambassadors.

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Senate Confirms Chris Musa As New Defence Minister

Published

3 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed General Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff, as the country’s new Minister of Defence.

The announcement was contained in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.

Musa, who retired from the military just 40 days ago, was nominated by President Tinubu on Tuesday to succeed former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down on health grounds.

According to Onanuga’s statement, the Senate approved Musa’s appointment on Wednesday through a voice vote, following a thorough screening session during which lawmakers posed numerous questions.

“Senate confirms Gen. Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence The Senate has confirmed the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, as the Minister of Defence. The Senate confirmed Musa on Wednesday via a voice vote after a rigorous screening session in which lawmakers asked him many questions,” the statement read in part.