News

North Has Four More Years After Buhari – Arewa Forum

Published

4 years ago

July 15, 2021

Eric

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum on Thursday declared that the North still has four years to rule Nigeria, after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima made the declaration while faulting the Southern governors’ call for a rotational presidency to the South in 2023.

In an interview with Daily Post, Shettima insisted that former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan ruled Nigeria for 14 years in favour of the South, while the late Musa Yar’Adua and Buhari would have ruled for 10 years in 2023.

Hence the North has four years outstanding.

The Southern governors had demanded that the Southern part of the country should produce Nigeria’s next president in 2023. They made the call during a meeting in Lagos State.

Reacting, Shettima noted that Southern governors cannot intimidate the North with such decisions.

He said: “That is their personal view which is not binding on Nigerians and Northerners. We are in a democracy and it must be practiced with all inclusiveness; as far as we are concerned, it’s not binding on anybody and nobody will abide by such a resolution.

“If we are talking about justice, it was not served to us as far as we are concerned, because there is no way Obasanjo would have had eight years uninterrupted, Yar’Adua only did two years then Jonathan took over as an acting president in 2009 and in 2011, Jonathan should not have contested going by the arrangement.

“North is supposed to have eight years uninterrupted but theirs was an interruption due to natural or unforeseen circumstances we found ourselves in.

“After the death of Yar’Adua, the two years outstanding with Buhari’s eight years, if he finishes, you discover that North has only 10 years; so where lies the remaining four years, where is justice?

“We insist that nobody can intimidate us, I will say it again, nobody, not even the Southern governors can intimidate the North as it is today. The decision of the Southern governors is purely their business and is not binding on any of us in the North.”

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.