News

Endorsement of Atiku by Socio-Cultural Groups Irrelevant – Presidency

Published

7 years ago

February 4, 2019

Eric

The Presidency on Sunday night described as irrelevant the reported endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the February 16 general elections by some socio-cultural groups in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five socio-cultural groups including the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Middle Belt Forum (MBF) had on Sunday endorsed the PDP presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential candidate.

But, the presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in a statement, dismissed the position of the groups, saying that the PDP was only hiding in the “bunker of ethnicity” to avoid its inevitable defeat.

According to him, the current scenario resembles efforts to stop Mr Buhari in 2015 by the same “characters” which failed.

The statement read in part: “The People’s Democratic Party is hiding in the bunker of ethnicity to avoid their inevitable defeat but that won’t change anything.

“The current scenario resembles efforts to stop Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 by the same characters. It is an effort to repeat the old experiment that failed in 2015.

“They failed to stop him from coming to power in 2015 and they will fail yet again on February 16.

“If all these groups are ganging up against one person, that is President Buhari, it tells you who the formidable candidate in the election is.

“This gang up they forged, one more time will change nothing. It is for the people to decide,’’ Mr Shehu said.

The spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, had also frowned at the endorsement of Mr Abubakar by the groups.

“Those endorsing Atiku are angry because President Buhari has chosen to relate with the masses directly and not through them, as middlemen,’’ he said.

(NAN)

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

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.