News

Zainab Ahmed is Finance Minister – Presidency

Published

7 years ago

September 19, 2018

Eric

Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, on Wednesday clarified the current status of the former minister of state for budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed.

Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari redeployed Mrs Ahmed to the finance ministry to take over in supervisory capacity following the resignation of the former minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun.

Mrs Adeosun resigned her appointment in the wake of a report by Premium Times which revealed she procured and had been parading a fake National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate used to secure the appointments.

Mr Adesina, who spoke with reporters at the end of the federal executive council on Wednesday, said Mrs Ahmed, by virtue of her redeployment, had relinquished her previous portfolio.

“You know she (Mrs Ahmed) was Minister of State, Budget and National Planning. She will relinquish that or she has relinquished that to go and oversee the finance ministry. So that is her status for now,” Mr Adesina said.

Pressed to know if Mrs Ahmed would be referred as the ”supervising minister”, ”overseeing minister” or acting minister of finance, Mr Adesina said ”whatever title she (minister) bears was a matter of nomenclature”.

“What you call her is a matter of nomenclature. But if she is overseeing the ministry, then she is. But note that she is no longer minister of state for budget and national planning for now until anything contrary happens. But for now, she is in charge of the ministry of finance.”

On whether the government was contemplating on placing her on a substantive position as minister of finance, the presidential spokesperson said that would ”need to follow due process”.

“Well, the statement says she will oversee the ministry of finance, let’s leave it like that. I just told you she is no longer minister of state, budget and national planning. She will be minister of finance. In fact, that was how she was addressed at council (FEC).

“Don’t forget, it is also a legal thing. If a minister is going to be appointed, there are procedures. That is why it is a deployment,” Mr Adesina said.

To appoint a new minister, the law requires that the name of the new minister be submitted by the National Assembly to initiate a formal screening process.

News

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

3 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.