On March 10, 2025, armed bandits posed as herders and invaded a community in Benue killing and attacking several people. The senate has once again summoned all security chiefs to appear before it next week to address growing concerns over escalating insecurity, banditry, and kidnappings nationwide. Those summoned include: Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, Chief of Army Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Air Staff,...
It may seem as though the controversy between Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio may not be getting off the news anytime soon. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has been thrust into the center of a growing political storm following Nigerian Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s appeal for intervention over her suspension from the Senate. By taking her case beyond Nigeria’s borders, the embattled senator has positioned the IPU as a potential arbiter in a controversy that touches on political...
INEC had previously stated in January 2025 that it was waiting for an official request from the Senate before proceeding with the Anambra south by-election. The senate has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct by-elections for the vacant seats in Edo central and Anambra south senatorial districts. This call was made by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during Tuesday’s plenary while officially declaring both seats vacant and emphasising the need...
All the regional development commissions have largely personnel cost allocation in the assented 2025 budget except for SEDC In the recently enacted N54.99 trillion 2025 budget assented by President Bola Tinubu, the total allocation for the newly created Federal Ministry of Regional Development was N29.72 billion. The ministry was established on October 23, 2024, by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to oversee the activities of the various regional development commissions, including the North West Development...
The Natasha-Akpabio brouhaha brings to the fore the low representation of women in the national and state assemblies of Nigeria Breaking Barriers The conversation around gender equality in governance has again taken center stage. Recently, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Okezie Kalu (APC, Abia), renewed calls for legislative reforms to enhance women’s representation in Nigeria’s political landscape. He spoke at a three-day workshop on the operational guidelines for the national...
Since Nigeria’s fourth Republic began in 1999, the senate has suspended multiple senators for misconduct or protocol violations, with at least two successfully challenging their suspensions in court. In the history of Nigeria, there have been many political turmoil with many crises either escalating or remaining unresolved. One such issue is the suspension of senators in the upper legislative chamber, a recurring controversy in the country’s politics. Since the inception of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in...
Bamidele advised Akpoti-Uduaghan to use the six-month suspension period to study the senate rule book, to avoid similar infractions in the future. The Leader of the Senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged the Department of State Services (DSS) to review the recorded phone conversation between him and suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) His call follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent interview on Arise Television, where she accused him of threatening her, allegedly saying that if Senate...
Shortly after the passage of the recommendations, Akpoti-Uduaghan rose up saying, “this injustice will not be sustained.” The senate has suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) for a period of six months following the adoption of a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions during Thursday’s plenary session. This development comes in the wake of a heated confrontation in the Senate two Thursdays ago when Akpoti-Uduaghan strongly protested the reassignment of...
The chairman ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan personally signed the petition rather than having it endorsed by a third party, making it invalid under senate rules. The senate has dismissed a petition filed by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, citing procedural irregularities and legal restrictions. At an investigative hearing on Wednesday, Sen. Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo south), chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, ruled...
The committee had its investigative hearing till past 4pm and Akpoti-Uduaghan was nowhere to be seen at the committee hearing. Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) has failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions despite being summoned for an investigative hearing. The committee, tasked with reviewing her conduct during last week’s heated plenary session, had scheduled the hearing for 2 p.m. but eventually commenced at 3 p.m. after...
