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JUST IN: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to face Senate disciplinary panel following altercation with Akpabio
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will face the Senate Disciplinary Panel following a recent heated exchange with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
The Panel is expected to report back to the upper legislative chamber in two weeks.
It will be recalled that tensions flared during a heated exchange between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan over a sudden change in seating arrangements within the chamber.
The disagreement arose when Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat was reassigned at the start of the plenary session, a move she resisted.
In response, Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno defended the decision, citing constitutional provisions and explaining that the adjustment was necessary to accommodate opposition lawmakers who had recently defected to the ruling party.
Monguno further warned that failure to comply with the new seating arrangement could have consequences, including restricting her ability to participate in legislative discussions.
Akpabio supported Monguno’s stance, and when Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to speak from her original seat, she was denied recognition.
The situation intensified as Akpoti-Uduaghan strongly objected, arguing that her parliamentary rights had been infringed upon.
“I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege,” the Kogi lawmaker said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan created a commotion before being surrounded by the sergeant-at-arms, who attempted to escort her out of the plenary session.
Order was eventually restored after the sound system was deactivated, allowing calm to return to the chamber.
Meanwhile, Akpabio has rejected calls from some senators to impose sanctions on Akpoti-Uduaghan for her disruptive conduct during the session.
According to the Senate’s standing rules, the authority to assign seats within the chamber rests solely with the Senate President.
Clearly displeased with the change in her seating arrangement, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of repeatedly showing her disrespect.
Raising her voice in protest, she recalled a previous incident during a plenary session in 2024 when Akpabio remarked, “Senator Natasha, we are not in the nightclub.”
“Since the nightclub incident, you have been disrespecting me. How can you change my seat without my consent.
I am not afraid of you,” she screamed.
A visibly unsettled Akpabio watched as the female senator continued her outburst, while some of her colleagues attempted to pacify her.
Efforts by certain senators to escalate the situation were firmly resisted by Akpabio. Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) urged the Senate President to initiate disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan, but Akpabio refused.
At one point, Akpabio warned that she would be removed from the chamber if she persisted in her verbal confrontation. Eventually, order was restored as the lawmaker took her reassigned seat.
News
US Declares 23 Nigerian States High-Risk for Citizens
Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.
Photo: President Donald Trump; President Bola Tinubu
The United States Department of State has classified 23 Nigerian states “High Insecurity Risks” for its citizens to go , work and live.
In an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday, the Embassy in Nigeria urged Americans to reconsider travel to Nigeria, with certain states classified under “Level 4: Do Not Travel” due to heightened security risks.
Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba were added to the list, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged.
In Northern Nigeria, the advisory highlighted Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa as particularly high-risk, citing terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara were also flagged due to civil unrest, widespread crime, and kidnappings.
“The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain due to civil unrest. Widespread violence between communities and armed crime, including kidnapping and roadside banditry.
“Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning,” the advisory warned.
Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.
“Crime is widespread in Southern Nigeria. There is a high risk of kidnapping, violent protests, and armed gangs,” the advisory stated.
News
INEC releases updated voters registration figure nationwide
Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has recorded over 3.4 million new voters in the ongoing second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise nationwide.
The figure is disclosed by the Commission in its week 13 update released on Wednesday in Abuja.
” A total of 3,441,121 registrations have been completed as of April 3, covering both online pre-registrations and physical walk-ins,” said INEC .
Given the breakdown, INEC explained that 2,068,384 citizens completed their registration online, while 1,372,737 others registered physically at designated centres across the country.
State-by-state data showed that Jigawa recorded the highest number of registrants with 201,047, representing 5.84 percent of the total.
Lagos followed with 181,095, while Kano ranked third with 177,681 registrations.Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.
Gender distribution indicated a higher turnout among women, with females accounting for 1,922,143 registrations (55.86 percent), compared to 1,518,978 males (44.14 percent).
The Lagos State Government has unveiled a comprehensive traffic diversion plan for Wednesday, April 8, and Thursday, April 9, 2026, in preparation for the commissioning of several key infrastructure projects by President Bola Tinubu.
According to the state Ministry of Transportation, partial road closures and diversions will be implemented in affected areas to ensure smooth movement during the events, which include the inauguration of the Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge and other major projects such as the Lagos State Geographic Information Service building in Alausa and the Tolu Schools Complex.
On Wednesday, April 8, diversions will be enforced around venues for the commissioning ceremonies, while on Thursday, April 9, restrictions will apply between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. during the Tolu Schools Complex event and additional project unveilings.
Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes and plan their journeys accordingly to avoid delays. The government urged residents and commuters to cooperate with traffic management officials and security personnel deployed to the areas.
The projects form part of ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and education facilities across the state. Further details on specific diversion routes are expected to be released by the Ministry of Transportation in the coming hours.
Commuters are encouraged to monitor official announcements via Lagos State traffic radio and social media handles for real-time updates.
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