The Nigerian Senate has cautioned Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to desist from forcefully resuming her legislative duties until the expiration of her suspension.

The warning follows the media reports quoting the Kogi Central lawmaker as saying she would return to the Senate on Tuesday, based on a judgment by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said no court compelled the Senate to reinstate the embattled lawmaker.

Adaramodu emphasised that the Senate remains committed to due process and the rule of law.

He said, “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to reaffirm, for the third time, that there is no subsisting court order mandating the Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan before the expiration of her suspension.

The Senate had previously issued two public statements after the court ruling and the release of the Certified True Copy of the Enrolled Order, making it clear that no positive or mandatory directive was issued against the Senate regarding her recall.

“Rather, the Honourable Court gave a non-binding advisory urging the Senate to consider amending its Standing Orders and reviewing the suspension, which it opined might be excessive.

“The Court, however, explicitly held that the Senate did not breach any law or constitutional provision in imposing the disciplinary measure based on the Senator’s misconduct during plenary.”

• Dele Momodu

Veteran journalist , Aare Dele Momodu has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing what he described as the hijacking of the party by antidemocratic forces.

In a letter dated July 17, 2025, and addressed to the PDP Ward 4 Chairman in Ihievbe, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, Momodu said his decision to leave the party was taken with immediate effect.

“My reason is simple and straightforward,” the letter reads. “Our party has been unarguably hijacked by antidemocratic forces, from within and outside, in broad daylight.

It is therefore honorable to abandon the carcass of the party to them while the majority of us earnestly sign up with the new coalition party known as the African Democratic Congress (ADC).”

Momodu, a former presidential aspirant on the PDP platform and publisher of Ovation International, expressed gratitude to the party leadership at the ward level for their consistent support over the years.

His defection to the ADC marks a significant shift in Edo State’s political landscape, and adds momentum to the ongoing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

• Olusegun Obasanjo and Emeka Anyaoku

Former Commonwealth Secretary- General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, shared perspectives on whether or not Nigeria should have a new constitution.

They spoke in Abuja, yesterday , during the opening of a three-day emergency national constitutional summit organised by a group of eminent Nigerians operating under the umbrella of the Patriots.

The theme of the summit is: “Actualising a constitutional democracy that works for all in Nigeria.”

While Anyaoku believes Nigeria needs a new, pluralistic Constitution, Obasanjo said that no such document is perfect and that it is the operators that matter.

Anyaoku dismissed the 1999 Constitution, currently in operation, as a military imposition.

The Chair of the Patriots believes that the country’s pluralistic nature requires a new constitution.To Anyaoku, the present 36 federating units have proven incapable of driving development, adding that 65 years after independence, Nigeria has become the world capital of poverty.

He said: “Nigeria is a pluralistic country, and like all successful pluralistic countries around the world, for its stability and maximal development, its constitution must address its problems.

“Second, it must address its pluralism by being formulated by elected representatives of its diverse people.

“Our present 1999 Constitution, as amended, is not such a constitution. It was not democratically formulated.

“It was instead imposed on the country through a decree by the military administration.

“And the governance system derived from it is not only non-inclusive, but also induces over-expectation of the nation’s resources on administration rather than on capital development.

“As a result, what we see is our nation’s need for a new constitution.

“There is the need for a new constitution, but this is a matter to be made by the people of our country.”

He called for “a constitution that would be in sync with the Constitution of the United States, a constitution of successful pluralistic countries around the world”.

Anyaoku added: “To those who say that the fate of a country depends primarily on its leadership, I say that the Constitution from which the system of governance is derived largely determines the character of the people who get elected or appointed to govern the country from the three arms of the government.”

On the other hands, Obasanjo said said that Nigeria doesn’t need a new constitution but rather needs the right operators of the constitution.

Represented by the Secretary-General of Eminent Patriots, Mr Olawale Okunniyi, the former President agreed that while a constitution must reflect the history, the constituents and the aspirations of a people, “no constitution is perfect.”

Obasanjo said: “From my experience in operating our constitution, I will be the first to point out some areas that need amendment.

However, for me, no constitution can ever be regarded as perfect.

“But whatever the strength or weakness of a constitution, the most important issue, to my understanding and experience, is the operators of the constitution.

“The best constitution can be perverted and distorted by the operators, and we have experienced that all over Africa, Nigeria is not exempt.

“I am more concerned about the operators of the constitution to lead in good governance and promotion of welfare and wellbeing of the citizenry.“No matter what you do to the Nigerian constitution, if the operators of the constitution, for the past one decade and a half, remain unchanged and continue in the same manner, the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerians will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of selfishness.”