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Motion to immortalize ex-INEC boss, Humphrey Nwosu shut down amid fireworks in Senate

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The Nigerian Senate Wednesday shut down a motion to immortalize the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.

Nwosu, as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, presided over the June 12 1993 election that was annulled by former military dictator, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The motion which was raised by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South, was declined during a plenary presided by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.

Abaribe rose under Order 41 and 51 which border on personal explanation to draw the attention of the chamber to the need to immortalize the late INEC boss.

The development was contrary to the provision in the Senate Standing Order as the Senate leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi contended that the order raised by Abaribe was inappropriate and the plenary had gone beyond the privilege Abaribe would have enjoyed to make senators consider it.

Earlier, the Deputy Senate President declared the point of order as controversial and expressed skepticism of its approval before allowing Abaribe to speak to the order.

Reacting to the Senate Leader’s submission, Senator representing Kebbi North, Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi insisted that Abaribe should be allowed to speak on the matter despite not getting the order correct.

Abaribe at this point insisted on consideration of his order, while he read a relevant provision of the Standing Order, saying: “In all cases not provided for in the standing order or by the sectional or other orders of practice of the Senate, the Senate shall by resolution, regulate its procedure so even if the Senate leader says that it doesn’t follow by the fact that a Senator wants to make a personal explanation you must give that Senator a chance to make that personal explanation.

“We are not under a dictatorship, Mr President. That is why I’m using Order 1(b) though this is at your discretion.”

Reacting, Barau said: “We are all experienced legislators here. Those who are grounded in our rules and I refer you to Order 42 once again. Order 42, by the indulgence of the Senate and the leave of the President of the Senate, the senator will make a personal explanation as though there is no question before the Senate, but no controversial matter may be brought forward nor may debate arise from the explanation.

“When we came this morning let me be frank, I’m a frank person. When we came this morning you approached me in respect of your desire to bring forward this motion under Order 41 and 51.

You never told me you were bringing it under Order 42 and when it came under Order 41 and 51, it was defeated.

“Now you change your mind to bring it under Order 42. We know we respect you very well. That wasn’t discussed. When the Senate Leader came in, I called him and I said Senator Abaribe is bringing a motion under Order 41 and 51.

And we agreed, normally I have to consult with the leadership, and we agreed that it was going to go forward.

“But, leader, did I tell you that he’s going to bring a motion under Order 42? So you didn’t approach me, you didn’t tell me, and I just want to be transparent and plain.

You didn’t tell me. If you had told me, there’s no way I would have stopped you. If you have told us that you are going to bring this motion under Order 42, we will”

Abaribe insisted that the motion to immortalize late Nwosu wasn’t a controversial one as posited by the Deputy Senate President.

He said: “Mr President, I don’t know what is controversial in immortalizing Humphrey Nwosu on June 12th. What is controversial there? What is our problem? What is controversial? It’s not controversial. Mr. President, just one more time, I will refer to our rules.

”Abaribe’s motion was overruled and he was told to bring it up through a motion on another legislative day.

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JUST IN: Tinubu Departs Paris for Nigeria After Extended Vacation

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President Bola Tinubu has ended his working vacation in Europe and departed Paris for Nigeria on Tuesday, with his aircraft expected to land at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos later in the evening.

The announcement was made by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu left Abuja on August 30 for what was initially billed as a three-week working vacation.

He spent one week in London before proceeding to Paris. The trip was later extended, bringing his total time abroad to about 30 days.

The President chose to return through Lagos rather than Abuja to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

On Independence Day, October 1, he is scheduled to attend the premiere of a movie celebrating Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos.

While in Lagos, Tinubu will hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify. He is expected to return to Abuja after those engagements.

During his stay in Paris, the President attended a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and held meetings with business leaders, including Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group.

He also met with First Holdings Chairman Femi Otedola and witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World for a deep seaport and Blue Marine Economic Zone.

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National Assembly Plans to Translate Laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba

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The National Assembly plans to translate Nigerian laws into Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other indigenous languages as part of a broader effort to digitise parliamentary records and make legislation more accessible to citizens.

Henry Nwawuba, Executive Secretary of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund, announced the initiative on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 2026 National Assembly Library Week. The event was themed “Parliamentary Memory: Connecting Records, Legislation and the People.”

Nwawuba said the translation would help more Nigerians, especially those not proficient in English, understand the laws that affect their daily lives. He described the library as the knowledge infrastructure of the legislature and a repository of its institutional memory.

The move forms part of a digital overhaul that includes upgrading the e-library, creating electronic repositories, developing a National Assembly Library mobile application, and introducing a Bills Tracker to allow the public to monitor the progress of proposed laws in real time.

The library will also produce infographics, audiovisual materials and short video explainers to simplify bills, Acts and legislative procedures. Officials said the upgrades would help curb the spread of fake or unverified legislative documents online.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Osita Ngwu, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Professor Julius Ihonvbere, both stressed the need for lawmakers to use the digital tools while prioritising cybersecurity.

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BREAKING: Court Order Threatens Dangote Kenya Refinery Launch

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A Kenyan court order requiring parties to maintain the status quo on disputed land has cast uncertainty over the planned groundbreaking of Aliko Dangote’s multi-billion-dollar oil refinery in Lamu, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30.

The Malindi Environment and Land Court, in an order dated September 25 and made public this week, directed that the existing situation on Land Reference No. 13061 in the Hindi/Manda Magogoni area be preserved until a hearing on October 14. The order followed a petition by 133 residents of Chandavai in Lamu County, who claim the land is ancestral property their families have occupied, farmed and developed for generations. They allege inadequate recognition, compensation and resettlement in the acquisition process.

Judge Jane Onyango declined to certify the application as fully urgent in a way that would explicitly cancel the ceremony and refused a separate request to restrain the Office of the President, Dangote Industries, the Lamu County Government and other respondents from proceeding with the groundbreaking. However, the status quo directive bars clearing, excavation, fencing, demolition, construction or other interference with occupied portions of the land in the interim.

Dangote Group said the ruling has not halted the groundbreaking ceremony itself. “The court has not halted the groundbreaking ceremony of the refinery at this stage. However, activities at the site may be affected by the ruling as both parties are required not to carry activities until the case is heard on 14th October,” the company stated.

Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi confirmed the ceremony would proceed as planned. Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, downplayed the development while speaking to investors in Nairobi, describing such legal challenges as “normal for us in Africa” and comparing it to past disputes elsewhere on the continent. He insisted the project would continue.

The proposed facility is a 700,000-barrel-per-day greenfield oil refinery and petrochemical complex estimated to cost $15–16 billion (roughly Ksh2 trillion). It is intended to process crude from Kenya’s Lokichar fields and other East African sources, reduce the region’s heavy reliance on imported fuels, create jobs and support industrialisation. President William Ruto is expected to attend the ceremony alongside Dangote. Heavy equipment has already begun arriving at the Port of Lamu.

The case returns to court on October 14, when respondents will have the opportunity to file responses and the matter will be heard inter partes. Until then, the legal constraint on site activities remains in force even as organisers press ahead with the ceremonial launch.

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