Akpabio reaffirmed that the aim of the summit is to facilitate a holistic and strategic approach to national security. The senate has resolved to organise a two-day national security summit in Abuja as part of efforts to tackle the country’s deepening insecurity and rising global uncertainties. The resolution followed the consideration of a motion sponsored by Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South) and co-sponsored by Sen. Titus Zam (APC, Benue North-West), Sen. Onyeka Nwebonyi (APC,...
Only 11 of 157 motions, less than 10%, have directly addressed the urgent issues of flooding and gully erosion. As Nigeria battles the devastating consequences of climate change, including unprecedented flooding and severe erosion, the country’s legislative response has been brought into focus. With the small number of motions debated, some have argued that legislative response is disturbingly disproportionate to the scale of the flooding crisis. Since its inauguration in June 2023, the 10th senate...
Sumaila earlier defected from the APC in the build-up to the 2023 elections as a result of a protracted leadership crisis in the party. Sen. Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano south senatorial district, has officially announced his defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The announcement was made on April 23, 2025, through a statement on his verified Facebook page. In his statement, Sen. Sumaila emphasised that...
The resumption of senate plenary was postponed to May 6 to allow senators engage with constituents during the workers’ day holiday in the first week of May. The senate has announced a shift in the date for the resumption of its plenary sittings, moving it from the earlier scheduled Tuesday, April 29, 2025, to a new date, Tuesday, May 6, 2025. This development was communicated via an internal memo dated April 20, 2025, and addressed...
Akpabio warned that ignoring legislative directives undermines the National Assembly’s authority and disrespects the will of the Nigerian people. The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has issued a strong warning to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, stressing that compliance with senate resolutions is mandatory and not subject to discretion. Akpabio gave this warning while speaking at a national workshop organised by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance in Abuja on...
“Let us not be deceived. This is a deliberate, coordinated, and well-funded assault on Governor Siminalayi Fubara.” By Charles Jiduwah By any stretch of democratic logic, what is happening in Rivers state today is nothing short of a full-blown constitutional crisis – and the National Assembly (NASS) is complicit. The Nigerian Constitution makes no provision for a sole administrator in any state. Yet, here we are, witnessing a dangerous political experiment unfold in full view...
The high rate of non-compliance of government agencies with legislative resolutions is brought to the fore in INEC’s stalling the conduct of by-elections while swiftly moving forward with the recall process of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan The credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process is once again under the spotlight, but this time, not because of a general election or widespread voter irregularities but for what appears to be an inconsistent approach to its responsibilities. On one hand,...
Since 1999, no lawmaker has been sacked by citizens during their tenure, exposing the recall process as an impotent safeguard against poor representation When Nigeria transitioned to democracy in 1999 after years of military rule, its constitution provided a mechanism that allowed citizens to hold their elected representatives accountable. Among these mechanisms was the power of recall, a constitutional process that gives constituents the right to remove a lawmaker before the end of their tenure...
Where is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)? Where is the Labour Party (LP)? Their collective silence in the face of this constitutional breach is a national embarrassment. By Charles Jiduwah The political crisis in Rivers State has laid bare the troubling weaknesses of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. What started as a battle for control between Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political benefactor, Minister Nyesom Wike, has escalated into a full-blown constitutional crisis—one now exacerbated by...
INEC claims the petition failed to meet the conditions set by Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for the recall of a senator. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed the petition seeking to recall Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, (PDP, Kogi central) in the senate, citing non-compliance with constitutional requirements. INEC confirmed the rejection in a statement on Thursday, stating that the petition failed to meet the conditions set by Section 69(a) of...
