Politics
I’ll return to senate on Tuesday, says Natasha Akpoti after court judgment
- Senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, says she will resume her legislative duties in the red chamber on Tuesday.
Recall that on March 6, the senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over alleged gross misconduct.
The decision followed the adoption of the report by the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions after the Kogi senator’s altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed a suit before the Abuja federal high court seeking to stop the suspension.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, affirmed the power of the senate to suspend erring members, including the Kogi senator.
However, the court faulted the duration of her suspension, describing it as “overreaching” and “excessive”.
The judge said the relevant laws of the senate did not define the maximum duration for which a serving lawmaker can be suspended from office.
She held that since lawmakers are constitutionally required to sit for a total of 181 days in each legislative session, the six-month suspension imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan effectively stripped her of the opportunity to carry out her legislative duties for nearly the entire session.
This, the judge noted, amounted to denying her constituents their right to representation.
“A senator is expected to represent her people,” the judge stated.
“I am of the view that the senate has the power to amend that rule,” Nyako said, adding that the senate “can and should” reconsider recalling the plaintiff back to office.
She also ordered the senator to pay a N5 million fine for violating a court order by publishing a satirical apology to Akpabio on her Facebook page.
Reacting to the court ruling, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the judgment as a victory.
“I thank you for your support. I am glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God,” the senator told her supporters.
Politics
Atiku appoints Kenneth Okonkwo as spokesperson
“Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, expressing appreciation to Atiku for the confidence reposed in him.”
African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed actor-turned-politician and ADC chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo as his spokesperson.
Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, expressing appreciation to Atiku for the confidence reposed in him.
“I give God all the glory for being appointed by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as his spokesperson. I thank His Excellency for the immense confidence reposed in me,” he said.
He described the appointment as a reflection of Atiku’s leadership style, noting that the former vice president values dialogue and inclusiveness over resentment.
“Rather than take offence at associates for expressing genuine reservations about any action taken, His Excellency always opts for dialogue and compromise that engender solutions to problems,” Okonkwo stated
Politics
ADC, NDC upload presidential tickets to INEC portal for 2027 polls
In a post on his X handle, Abdullahi described the submission as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have successfully uploaded the names and particulars of their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi., Peter Obi/ Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The two parties confirmed the development respectively on the X and Facebook.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced on Wednesday that the party had successfully uploaded the names and particulars of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi.
In a post on his X handle, Abdullahi described the submission as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
Similarly, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, disclosed that he had completed his INEC nomination form, using the occasion to call for greater transparency in the electoral process and a renewed focus on governance.
In a post on his Facebook page, Obi said one of the questions on the nomination form, asking whether an aspirant had ever been labelled a lunatic or declared to be of unsound mind, prompted him to reflect on the state of leadership in Nigeria.
Politics
2027: Obi asks INEC to publish candidates’ certificates
Obi made the call while reflecting on questions contained in the INEC nomination form, particularly those relating to mental fitness and certificate authenticity.
Peter Gregory Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make public the academic certificates and credentials submitted by candidates seeking elective office.
Obi made the call while reflecting on questions contained in the INEC nomination form, particularly those relating to mental fitness and certificate authenticity.
He said that for openness in the electoral system, INEC should publish the certificates and credentials submitted by all aspirants.
According to Obi, making such documents publicly available would help ensure that those seeking public office are held to higher standards of accountability and integrity.
He said, “Have you ever presented a forged certificate to INEC?” Again, the answer is either Yes or No. This raises another important question: Why shouldn’t INEC, in the interest of ensuring that our leaders are exemplary in following the rules and to strengthen public confidence in our electoral process, publish the academic certificates and credentials submitted by every candidate seeking elective office?”
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