FRSC to enforce new number plates despite court rulings

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC announced Tuesday that despite restraining orders from two federal courts in Abuja and Lagos, it was determined to press on with the controversial policy of ensuring all motorists buy its new car number plates and licence from August 1.

The FRSC, now under a new Corps Marshal appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday, said it is decision is based on a new ruling by a state court in Anambra.

The Anambra Court gave the corps the go-ahead in a decision July 15, despite an appeal against the previous decisions by the two federal court.

Lawyers have rejected the authority of the Anambra Court, and also criticize its timing since the appeal launched by the FRSC is currently before the Court of Appeal.

Ogedi Ogu, the lawyer who obtained the Lagos court ruling in March against the FRSC, described the Corp’s vow to proceed with the enforcement as a “concoction of lies”.

Mr. Ogu, who filed a suit on September 30, 2013, through Emmanuel Ofoegbu, a rights activist, had challenged the power of the FRSC to impound vehicles of motorists who failed to acquire the new number plates.

In a ruling delivered by James Tsoho, the Federal High Court, Lagos, held that it was unlawful for the Commission to impose the new number plates on Nigerians, where no existing law permitted it.

“The issue of redesigning new number plates by the respondent is not covered under the provisions of any law in Nigeria,” Mr. Tsoho had said.

The court’s pronouncement put paid to the FRSC’s intention to begin enforcement of the new number plates by October 1, and the Commission headed to the appeal court to challenge the ruling.

However, on Tuesday, the FRSC announced that it would go ahead with the enforcement of the new drivers’ licence and number plates on August 1.

Chidi Nkwonta, Lagos State Sector Commander, FRSC, said the decision followed the Anambra ruling.

“This new judgment made it very clear that as from August 1, FRSC should impound,” Mr. Nkwonta said. “So, Nigerians must discountenance that first misleading judgment and take this one because we are going to continue enforcement as from August 1, 2014.”

In May, the Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka had ruled that the issuance of new vehicle number plates and drivers licenses by the FRSC was “legal” and “constitutional.”

“I hold that the directive of the respondent to all motorists previously registered to re-register their vehicles for the purpose of changing their old number plates with new vehicle number plates is legal and constitutional and stand firmly on both Act 2007 and Regulations of 2012,” the judge declared.

“Section 5 of the Act of 2007 allows the commission, the Respondent, to make regulations for carrying out the objectives of the Act. The Act of 2007 specifically allow the respondent to make regulation with regard to the designing and producing of drivers licences, and vehicle number plates to be used by various categories of vehicles,” he added.