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Tinubu’s Men Plotting Against Ambode’s Second Term – Fouad Oki

Published

8 years ago

June 9, 2018

Eric

A chieftain of All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr Fouad Oki, has alleged that some close allies of the party’s national leader and former governor of the state, Bola Tinubu, are sabotaging the second term bid of the incumbent governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Oki made the allegation on a Lagos Talks 91.3 FM programme, Morning Digest.

The APC chieftain, who emerged factional state chairman at the recent congress of the party, named those in the thick of the anti-Ambode plot to include Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Oshinowo, popularly called Pepper. The two men are fervent supporters of Tinubu.

Challenging Aregbesola and Oshinowo to publicly deny the plan, which he claimed they had shared with him, Oki stated, “I think they should be man enough to come out to say what the governor has done that they are not happy with. It’s not by keeping the man in the dark and not telling him exactly what it is and then carrying hosanna in the day and crucifying him at night, they should be man enough to come out.”

Oki accused the Osun State governor and the legislator of causing destructive divisions in the Lagos State chapter of APC with their struggle for control of party structures.

He, however, pronounced Tinubu blameless in the alleged scheme to frustrate Ambode’s second term.

Oki said: “Anybody trying to bring Bola Tinubu into this matter is unfair. Really, if there are personalities in the issue, it would have been Governor Aregbesola and Hon. Bayo Oshinowo who on their own decided that everybody must be roped into line by joining by fire by force the mandate group. And because they have their issues with the current state governor, they have made up their mind on what the likely result of party primaries would be. If they have issues with Governor Ambode, they should not bring it or situate it within the party process.”

Oki also said he had a cordial relationship with Ambode, stressing, “I don’t have any reason to say this is what the man has done against me.”

He criticised the state APC congress that produced Alhaji Tunde Balogun as chairman as lacking in internal democracy.

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

Published

3 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.

News

Tinubu Nominates Ibas, Dambazau, Enang, Ohakim As Ambassadors

Published

4 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.

News

Senate Confirms Chris Musa As New Defence Minister

Published

4 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.