Senator Natasha Wants Senate Probe Aired Live
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has requested that her Senate probe be aired live to ensure openness. She was referred to the Senate’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee after a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements. READ ALSO: Between Sen Akpabio and his female colleagues While she is ready to appear before the panel, she insists that the process should not be conducted behind closed doors. In a statement shared on social media, Akpoti-Uduaghan mentioned that she had previously stayed silent on Senate matters but had now decided to speak up. She called on Nigerians to pay attention to the proceedings, stressing her dedication to openness in governance. The senator also shared a petition from a group called Northern Youths Advocacy for Excellence (NOYAD), which accused her of corruption, breach of trust, and mistreatment of local content committee staff. She stated that she only recently became aware of the petition. READ ALSO: Stakeholders seek reserved seats for women participation in politics She also invited a national television station to host her for an open discussion, saying she is ready to answer any questions. She urged Nigerians to watch the probe, insisting that it should be broadcast live. According to her, the coming days and weeks will be crucial in shaping leadership standards in Nigeria.
Senate Refers Natasha Akpoti to Ethics Committee Over Seat Dispute
The Senate has directed its Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions Committee to investigate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following a disagreement over seating arrangements in the chamber. The decision was made through a voice vote on Tuesday after lawmakers revisited the February 20 incident, where Akpoti-Uduaghan clashed with the Senate leadership over her assigned seat. The committee, led by Senator Neda Imaseun, has been given two weeks to examine the issue and submit a report. Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu raised a motion under Senate Orders 1(b) and 10, criticizing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions and stating that the controversy had drawn public attention. He insisted that the Senate should maintain order and discipline among its members. Supporting this position, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele stated that the chamber must preserve its integrity. He rejected claims that gender bias played a role in the dispute, explaining that other senior senators had accepted seat adjustments without protest. Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Ethics Committee to conduct a thorough review. He pointed out that while senators can sit anywhere, they must make contributions from their designated seats. Akpabio suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unfamiliarity with Senate procedures might have caused the incident. Citing Senate Order 66(2) and Section 55, he reminded lawmakers of the need to follow rules, including prohibitions on chewing gum, drinking water, or being disruptive during sessions. The committee’s findings are expected in two weeks.
BREAKING: Senate Summons Security Chiefs Amid Escalating Insecurity In Nigeria
The Nigerian Senate has called upon security chiefs for a meeting in response to the escalating insecurity in the country, with a specific date for the interaction to be determined later. After a closed-door meeting lasting over three hours, the senate expressed its condemnation of the rising occurrences of kidnappings, banditry, and the outright murder of innocent citizens by criminals. The Senate Leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi, revealed that all 109 senators sponsored the insecurity motion due to its importance. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, expressed deep concern over the ongoing banditry and kidnappings. He highlighted that the situation has escalated to the extent where intermediaries are facilitating ransom payments on behalf of kidnappers. Akpabio vehemently condemned recent attacks by bandits in Plateau and the gas explosion in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. Akpabio also mentioned that a specific date will be decided for the security chiefs to appear before the Senate. The lawmakers paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the attacks and the Ibadan explosion by observing a one-minute silence before adjourning until Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
Appeal Court Upholds Isah’s Election As Kogi East Senator
The Abuja division of the Appeal Court has affirmed the election of Jibrin Isah, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial District. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, was declared the winner of the said election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Victor Adoji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went to the Tribunal, citing cancellation of election results in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of win. Specifically, he Prayed the court to nullify the victory of Isah and ordered a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district. In a unanimous Judgement, the tribunal led by Justice K.A. Orjiako ordered a rerun in 94 polling units where there were irregularities in the last general election. Not pleased with the judgment, Isah filed an appeal against the decision of the lower court. The appeal court in its judgment on Thursday, held that the witness on which the tribunal relied its judgment on was incompetent. The court subsequently expunged the exhibits presented by the witness from the records. “The appeal succeeds. The judgment of the tribunal is hereby set aside and the appellant’s victory is sustained and affirmed, ” the appellate court held.
Appeal Court Sacks Senate Minority Leader, Mwadkwon, Orders Rerun
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, Sunday, nullified the election of the Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, in the February 25 senatorial election in the Plateau North Senatorial District. A three-member appeal panel ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, within 90 days, conduct a fresh election in the senatorial district. This is a ruling on the appeal filed by Mr Chris Giwa of the All Progressives Congress and Mr Gyang Zi of the Labour Party. Giwa and Zi had appealed against the judgment of the election petitions tribunal in Jos, Plateau State which, affirmed Mwadkwon of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the senatorial poll. The appellants had contended that Mwadkwon was not qualified to stand for an election as his party, the PDP, which nominated him during the election, had no structure to do so, having not complied with an earlier high court order for the party to conduct a proper state congress. Justice E. Daudu, who read the lead judgment of the appellate court, held that the high court order was not fully complied with by the PDP as 12 LGAs didn’t participate in the said congress. “The court made total findings with regard to the issue in focus. “To avoid anarchy, I agree with the appellants that the court must protect an order of another court. “I agree with the appellant that the third respondent had no valid structure and could not have claimed to have validly nominated the second respondent (Mwadkwon) for the election. “Given the findings of this court, the appeal, therefore, succeeds as the court order was not complied with. “The first respondent is hereby ordered to conduct another senatorial election in Plateau North within 90 days,” the judge ruled.
Senate President’s Wife Has No Office In National Assembly -Eyiboh
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Senate President, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, has debunked reports that an office was created for the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Unoma Akpabio, in the National Assembly. Eyiboh, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the story showed that it was essentially designed to malign and disparage the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. “A story of 20 paragraphs on the creation of an imaginary office for the wife of the Senate President uses three paragraphs on the unfounded issue. “And the remaining 17 paragraphs were used for recitation of unrelated fables and other innuendo. “For emphasis to the unguarded who may be prone to the fake news merchandise, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio has no office in the National Assembly and there is no intention towards that. “Her only relationship with the National Assembly is that her husband is the President of the Senate and by virtue of that, as with his predecessors, she is president of the Senators’ Wives Association of Nigeria,” Eyiboh said.
Senate adjourns plenary until July 4
Following the adoption of a motion by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jubril (APC) Kano, the Senate on Wednesday, adjourned plenary until July 4. The Senate earlier approved a motion informing President Bola Tinubu that a quorum of the 10th Senate had been assembled and that the Presiding Officers had been elected. It also adopted a motion to write letters of congratulatory messages to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives on their election. The letters will also notify them of the election of the President and Deputy President of the Senate. It also at plenary adopted a motion to write to international parliamentary bodies informing them that a quorum of the 10th Senate had been assembled and that the Senate was ready to receive communication. The bodies included the African Union (AU), ECOWAS Parliament, Common Wealth Parliamentary Association (CWPA),Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) among others.