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...
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...
The senate dismissed requests to immortalise him but agreed to observe a minute silence in his honour. The senate has has thrown out prayers contained in a motion seeking to rename the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu. He was a former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) who conducted the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election. The motion, re-sponsored by Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe on...
Abaribe fired back, insisting that senators must be allowed to make personal explanations when proposing motions or bills. Tensions rose in the senate on Wednesday as Sen. Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia south) clashed with the leader of the senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, over a motion to immortalise the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu and the significance of June 12 in Nigeria’s democratic journey. During plenary, Sen. Abaribe came under Order 41 and 51 seeking the senate’s...
In the last eight years, Nigeria has witnessed the escape of over 7,000 inmates from various correctional facilities across the country. The President of the senate, Godswill Akpabio has charged the newly confirmed Controller-General (CG) of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, to tackle the rising cases of jailbreaks across the country. Akpabio issued the directive on Tuesday after the senate, during plenary, confirmed Nwakuche’s appointment following the presentation of the report by...
Lawmakers agreed that despite constitutional safeguards, fair representation across ethnic, linguistic, religious, and geographic lines remains elusive. The senate has commenced an investigation into the systemic abuse of the federal character principle in recruitment, promotion, political interference, and uneven infrastructural development across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in the country. The probe also seeks to assess compliance with Sections 14(3) and 14(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The resolution followed a motion moved by...
Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan called on the public to disregard the viral report claiming she apologised to the senate. Suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) has strongly denied reports claiming she tendered an apology to the senate over the allegations that led to her suspension. She described the reports as “false and misleading,” insisting she remains resolute in defending her actions and standing by her constituents. In a statement issued on Monday and titled “Re:...
The way and manner the senate handled the president’s state of emergency declaration echoes widespread concerns of a rubber stamp parliament The historic approval of a state of emergency in Rivers state witnessed high-stakes drama that tested Nigeria’s democracy, the rule of law, and the very fabric of legislative independence. Just as the dust from Sen. Natasha’s case began to settle, the senate faced an even bigger storm, the escalating political turmoil in Rivers state....
Tension flared on the floor of the senate as Akpabio, Dickson clashed over emergency rule debate in Rivers State A heated argument erupted on the floor of the senate on Thursday as the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Sen. Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West) disagreed sharply over the procedure for handling President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State. Problem started when the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele...
While no reason was officially offered for the delay in approving the state of emergency, observers say the decision may be linked to behind-the-scenes consultations. The senate on Wednesday, delayed its planned debate on the motion seeking approval for the proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State. The motion, which was listed as the first item on the order paper, was unexpectedly stepped down without any detailed explanation. Sponsored by the Leader of...
