By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday swore in the new Chairman and 37 National Commissioners of the Federal Character Commission, FCC, at the State House, Abuja.

The ceremony, which began at about 4:48 pm, saw Hulayat Ayo Omidiran take the oath of office as FCC Chairman alongside commissioners representing all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Mrs Omidiran, 59, is a former two-term member of the House of Representatives who previously represented Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State. She succeeds Dr. Muheeba Dankaka, whose tenure was widely criticised.

Full List of Sworn-In Commissioners

Alongside Chairman Omidiran and FCC Secretary Mohammed Musa, the following were sworn in as National Commissioners:

1. Peter Ogbonna Eze – Enugu

2. AbdulWasiu Bawalla – Lagos

3. Obinna Oriaku – Abia

4. Lawal Ya’u Roni –
5. Abubakar Atiku Bunu – Kebbi

6. Eludayo Eluyemi – Osun

7. Bema Olvadi Madayi – Adamawa

8. Dora Ebong – Akwa Ibom

9. Nnoli Nkechi Gloria – Anambra

10. Babangida Adamu Gwana – Bauchi

11. Sir Tonye Okio – Bayelsa

12. Aligba Eugene Tarkende – Benue

13. Modu Mustapha – Borno

14. Dr Stella Odey Ekpo – Cross River

15. Ederin Lovette Idisi – Delta

16. Nwokpor Vincent Nduka – Ebonyi

17. Victor Sabor Edoror – Edo

18. Sola Fokanle – Ekiti

19. Ibrahim Baba Mairiga – Gombe

20. Jerry Alagbaoso – Imo

21. Ruth Jumai Ango – Kaduna

22. Muhammad Awwal Nayya – Kano

23. Anas Isah – Katsina

24. Bello Idris Eneye – Kogi

25. Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi – Kwara

26. Kayode Oladele – Ogun

27. Isah Jibrin – Niger

28. Ajimudu Bola – Ondo

29. Prince Ayodeji Abas Aleshinloye – Oyo

30. Pam Bolman – Plateau

31. Aaron Chukwuemeka – Rivers

33. Bobboi Bala Kaigama – Taraba

34. Jibir Maigari – Yobe

35. Sani Garba – Zamfara

36. Solomon Ayuba Dagami – FCT

37. (plus FCC Secretary) Mohammed Musa remains the commission’s administrative head.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the initial diplomatic postings for four ambassador-designates, selected from a cohort of 68 nominees confirmed by the Senate in December 2023.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

”President Tinubu confirmed the postings of Ambassador Ayodele Oke as the ambassador-designate to France, and Colonel Lateef Are as the ambassador-designate to the United States of America.”

”Also confirmed by the President is the posting of Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, former ambassador to South Korea, as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.

”Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, former governor of Kebbi, is the ambassador-designate to Turkey, where the President is scheduled to begin a state visit next week.

”In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu urged the ministry to notify the governments of the four countries about the ambassador-designates, in accordance with diplomatic procedures.”

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the long-running trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd), former Chief Security Officer to late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, over the murder of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late politician and business mogul, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.

In a unanimous decision delivered by a five-member panel of justices led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, the apex court held that the Lagos State government had effectively lost interest in the prosecution and abandoned the matter, thereby warranting its dismissal.

Mrs. Kudirat Abiola was the wife of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which was annulled by the then military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.

Following the annulment, Nigeria was plunged into a nationwide political crisis marked by mass protests, civil resistance, arrests of pro-democracy activists and violent crackdowns by security forces.

Kudirat Abiola emerged as one of the most prominent figures in the struggle to actualise the June 12 mandate after her husband was arrested and detained by the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

She was assassinated in Lagos during the heat of the pro-democracy agitation, a killing that shocked the nation and became one of the most symbolic tragedies of the era.

Major Al-Mustapha, a powerful figure in the Abacha regime, was later charged by the Lagos State Government for allegedly masterminding her murder.

The case, which spanned several years and multiple legal twists, became one of Nigeria’s most high-profile and controversial murder trials, closely watched by human rights groups, civil society organisations and the international community.

However, in its ruling, the Supreme Court faulted the Lagos State Government for its failure to diligently prosecute the appeal before it.

Justice Aba-Aji noted that despite being served with hearing notices since 2020, the state government failed to file a notice of appeal and a brief of argument for a period spanning about nine years.

According to the court, such a prolonged delay amounted to a clear indication that the prosecution was no longer interested in pursuing the case.

The apex court further expressed strong displeasure that there was no legal representation for the Lagos State Government at the hearing, and that no explanation or information was provided to either the court or the respondent regarding the persistent absence.

Justice Aba-Aji held that nine years was more than sufficient time for any serious litigant to take the necessary procedural steps to keep an appeal alive.

However, the Supreme Court dismissed the case in its entirety, bringing a final legal closure to the trial of Hamza Al-Mustapha over the murder of Kudirat Abiola.