Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed worry over what he described as a growing tendency of state governments to exert influence by distorting the modalities of enthroning traditional stools. Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general election, stressed that traditional institutions must be protected from the arbitrariness of state governments. In a statement issued on Tuesday via his X handle, the former Vice President said it will become difficult to maintain peace and orderliness in communities if the structure of ascension of traditional rulers was unstable.

Human Rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has yesterday stated that the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court both lacks the jurisdiction to adjudicate on chieftaincy matters in Nigeria. Falana made this known through a statement he signed yesterday where he criticized both courts for separately granting themselves jurisdiction in such cases, describing the courts decisions “highly erroneous” and unjustifiable under sections 251 and 254(C) of the Constitution.