How Natasha can get her Senate suspension reversed – Akpabio – Newstrends
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How Natasha can get her Senate suspension reversed – Akpabio

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

How Natasha can get her Senate suspension reversed – Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has called on Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to apologise to the Senate, suggesting it could lead to a reconsideration of her six-month suspension.

Speaking during plenary on Thursday, Mr Akpabio expressed that the Senate, under his leadership, is committed to peace and remains open to resolving internal conflicts. However, he cautioned that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s handling of her suspension could discourage political leaders from appointing women to significant positions in the future.

“We are still open to making sure that we remain in peace. We left room for her to recognise that what she is doing may even frighten a lot of men in future from even appointing or selecting female deputy governors,” Mr Akpabio said.

He added an analogy to emphasize his point: “You can imagine if somebody like Kamala, the immediate past vice president of the United States, were to go on CNN to say that President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her by shaking her hand or by holding her hand to show her the office of the president. That automatically means that nobody will pick another woman as vice president.”

Mr Akpabio appealed to politicians not to let one incident affect opportunities for women in politics.

“But I have four daughters, so I want to plead with politicians to still give my four children a chance. Do not take the action of one person and punish others,” he added.

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Despite the controversy, Mr Akpabio reassured the public that the Senate remains dedicated to promoting gender representation. He highlighted that all four female senators currently serve as committee chairpersons to ensure women’s voices are heard in the legislature.

“My religion and the Bible forbid that, that the sins of the father will no longer be visited on the children. So please, we still have absolute confidence in our female folks. In this 10th Assembly of the Senate, we have only four women and the four of them are all committee chairmen, intentionally, in order to give a voice to women in the parliament,” he noted.

He also acknowledged the vote of confidence from fellow senators, pledging not to take their support for granted.

Mr Akpabio clarified that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was a unanimous decision by the Senate, not a personal action against her. He accused her of distorting the circumstances of her suspension in media appearances and criticized her for seeking international intervention without fully exploring domestic avenues for resolution.

“It’s also important for the public to know that whatever decision we arrive at here is unanimous and I recall the last decision we took which concerned one of our sisters, Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. I’m also aware that when she left the chambers, she went to Brekete Radio and Arise Television, and she distorted the facts,” he stated.

He expressed disappointment that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had taken her complaints to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), suggesting it was an attempt to discredit Nigeria on the global stage.

“I’m aware further that she has now externalised the matter by attempting to embarrass the Federal Republic of Nigeria by going to give a narrative at the IPU UN event, totally different from what occurred in the Senate,” he said.

Mr Akpabio commended House of Representatives member Kafilat Ogbara for addressing the situation in New York, clarifying the Senate’s position to the international press.

He stressed that the Senate operates within the framework of the Nigerian Constitution and has mechanisms to handle internal disputes.

“She has gone to the international community, and she may not even allow the international community to look into it. She might decide to run to……..I don’t know where. I don’t want to be misquoted. But the reality is that we remain resolute. We are law-abiding. We operate through the rules of the Senate, which is an extension of the powers and privileges given to us by the grund norm, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

 

How Natasha can get her Senate suspension reversed – Akpabio

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Just in: Factional Zamfara assembly leaders want governor to represent budget

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April 24, 2025

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Just in: Factional Zamfara assembly leaders want governor to represent budget

A factional House of Assembly has emerged in Zamfara state with members demanding the re-presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by Governor Dauda Lawal.

The group, made up of nine lawmakers who were suspended in February 2024 over allegations of misconduct, conspiracy, and illegal sitting, convened in Gusau, the state capital, and declared the formation of a parallel legislative body.

At the session, the lawmakers elected Hon. Bashir Aliyu Gummi as Speaker of the factional assembly.

During the sitting, the faction addressed several issues, including the state’s deteriorating security situation, economic challenges, and the recent reports of mass sackings within the state civil service allegedly carried out by the Lawal administration.

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The group further demanded that Governor Lawal re-present the 2025 budget, arguing that the process followed in its initial passage was flawed. The governor had originally submitted the N545 billion Appropriation Bill to the widely-known State House of Assembly led by Speaker Bilyaminu Ismail Moriki in December 2024. The bill was passed and signed into law that same month.

Present at Wednesday’s session were Hon. Aliyu Ango Kagara (Talata Mafara South), Ibrahim Tudu Tukur (Bakura), Nasiru Abdullahi Maru (Maru North), and Faruk Musa Dosara (Maradun 1). Others included Bashar Aliyu (Gummi 1), Bashir Abubakar Masama (Bukkuyum North), Amiru Ahmed (Tsafe West), Basiru Bello (Bungudu West), and Mukhtaru Nasiru (Kaura Namoda North).

 

Just in: Factional Zamfara assembly leaders want governor to represent budget

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NLC to IMF: Your reforms inflict hunger, poverty on masses

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23 hours ago

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April 24, 2025

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President of the NLC, Comrade Joseph Ajaero

NLC to IMF: Your reforms inflict hunger, poverty on masses

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has taken a swipe at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over its policy proposals to Nigeria and other African nations on how to rejuvenate their ailing economies.

Indeed, the NLC pointedly told the IMF that its conditionalities for giving loans to Nigeria and others were inflict pains of hunger and poverty on the masses.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated this when he received the IMF team team comprising the its Resident Representative for Nigeria, Christian H. Ebeke, and, Axel Schimmelpfennig from Washington, DC.

The purpose of the visit, it was learnt, was to assess how Nigerian workers and the general populace are being affected by the current socioeconomic environment and the hardship resulting from government policies.

The IMF delegation, led by Schimmelpfennig also sought insights from the NLC regarding the state of the labour market in Nigeria. According to them, the information gathered would contribute to the IMF’s annual country report for Nigeria.

Sources at the meeting disclosed that the IMF team acknowledged that the Nigerian government has been grappling with fiscal challenges since assuming office.

They emphasized that the IMF’s recommendations are purely advisory and not mandatory, based on the prevailing realities in each country.

The delegation expressed concern that, often, governments do not follow the IMF’s recommendations to the letter, instead adapting them to align with political objectives. In effect, the IMF attempted to distance itself from the adverse consequences of some recent economic reforms in Nigeria.

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Nevertheless, the IMF team requested continued engagement with the NLC going forward.

Ajaero made it clear that governance should prioritize citizens’ welfare over profit-making.

He criticized the austerity measures often recommended by the IMF, noting that they have worsened living conditions for Nigerians.

It was gathered that Ajaero particularly highlighted the removal of fuel subsidies, which he said has led to increased suffering, hunger, and poverty among workers and the general population.

The NLC president argued that there was no real subsidy to remove in the first place, as the government was already profiting from crude oil sales.

He described the “subsidy removal” as merely a justification for increasing fuel prices.

He equally questioned the use of the revenue purportedly saved from the subsidy removal, especially since the government continues to borrow heavily.

“He pointed out that the cost of essential services—such as education and transportation—has tripled, leading to widespread hardship.

He condemned the growing disparity between the worsening living conditions of citizens and the increasing wealth of government officials.”

Ajaero emphasized that genuine reforms should improve the welfare of the people, not enrich those in power.

He also criticized the government for not consulting key stakeholders before implementing the subsidy removal policy.

This exclusion, he said, had exacerbated the country’s economic challenges.

He noted that inclusive dialogue could have produced better strategies and outcomes, lamenting that the government has isolated itself from valuable advice.”

On the national minimum wage, the NLC president complained that the N70,000 wage is not being implemented sincerely across all levels of government. Instead, the government has continued to impose additional taxes, worsening the financial burden on citizens.

Ajaero urged the IMF to advise the government to ease this pressure and allow citizens to breathe.

He warned that rising poverty levels could lead to social unrest if left unaddressed.

NLC to IMF: Your reforms inflict hunger, poverty on masses

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‘Enough is enough’, Tinubu directs security chiefs to stop violent attacks

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April 23, 2025

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‘Enough is enough’, Tinubu directs security chiefs to stop violent attacks

 

President Bola Tinubu has ordered security operatives to end forthwith the violent attacks in some parts of the country, especially in Plateau, Borno, and Benue states.
He gave the directive during a meeting with security chiefs at the State House on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA); Mohammed Mohammed, director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Emmanuel Undianeye, chief of defence intelligence; Oluwatosin Ajayi, director-general (DG) of the Department of State Services (DSS); and Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff (CoS) to the President.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ribadu said Tinubu declared that “enough is enough” on the resurgence of violence in some parts of the country.
The NSA said the president directed security chiefs to work with the political authorities in states and at the grassroots level to find a lasting solution to the insecurity.
He said the security chiefs had acted on Tinubu’s previous instructions by meeting with political leaders in the affected communities and states.
The NSA said the meeting offered the security chiefs the opportunity to fully brief the president about the current security situation of the country.
“This time, we were able to sit with him for hours and give a proper briefing. We also took new instructions from him,” he said.
“Insecurity is not only a government problem.
“It also involves the subnational units — the communities, local governments, and especially the governors. The president directed that we work more closely with them.
“Some of these problems are community-related. While not entirely so, that element plays a significant role.
“Mr. President is working hard to ensure that Nigeria enjoys peace and stability. We are not relenting. We will not stop until we get the results he demands.”
On the resurgence of violent attacks in Borno, Ribadu said the terrorists were planting explosives during the period of relative peace in the state.
“This enemy does not give up easily. When there’s peace for a long time, they try to shock the public with an isolated incident,” he said.
The NSA said the security situation in the country is not yet at 100 percent, while noting that there is “significant improvement”.
Since the beginning of the month, many have been killed in some communities in Plateau State.
Benue State has also recorded violent attacks as over 50 people were killed in Ukum and Logo LGAs on April 18.

 

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