Connect with us

Politics

Senator Natasha Resumes Back to Legislative Duties While Court Proceedings Continue October 7

Senator Natasha’s office was sealed since the 6th of March, when the Senate slammed a six months suspension on her for alleged gross misconducts and violation of senate rules.

Published

on

IMG 20250923 WA0029
695 Views

The National Assembly on Tuesday unsealed the office of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Ohibaba.com gathered that the Deputy -Director, Sergeant-at-arm, Alabi Adedeji effected the removal of the seal.

Senator Natasha’s office was sealed since the 6th of March, when the Senate slammed a six months suspension on her for alleged gross misconducts and violation of senate rules.

It was however not clear who directed the removal of the seal as her official resumption is still pending until the outcome of her case against the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio, is settled in court.

Nevertheless, Senator Natasha stormed the National Assembly on Tuesday few hours after her office was unsealed to resume legislative duties.

The Kogi Central lawmaker arrived the National Assembly complex at exactly 12:30pm accompanied by hundreds of her supporters amid heavy resistance from the Police and Sergeants-at -arms who were trying to stop many of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s supporters from gaining entrance along with her into the National Assembly.

Akpoti-Uduaghan went straight unhindered to her office that was already cleaned up and decently prepared for her arrival after the doors were unsealed earlier in the day.

Addressing journalists, Natasha narrated the ordeal she passed through in the last six months; -with particular reference to alleged blackmail from Professor Mgbeke on FACEBOOK and insisting that her suspension is illegal.

Unfazed and defiant, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she has no apology whatsoever to tender to the leadership of the National Assembly regarding her alleged misconduct and violation of senate rules.

To the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she can’t be beaten to submission or treated like his house maid.

Meanwhile, ‎the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has fixed 27 October to address the issue of jurisdiction regarding the ongoing defamation trial of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. ‎‎

At the resumption of proceedings, the prosecutor, David Kaswe, was set to begin trial but Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team headed by Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) raised an objection. ‎‎

The legal team challenged the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court to hear her criminal defamation case.

The key arguments by her lawyers are that the charges are unconstitutional and politically motivated, intended as a witch-hunt to intimidate opposition voices. ‎‎

The defense team contends that defamation is a civil matter and that criminalizing it via the Federal Government’s prosecution is an abuse of prosecutorial power by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

‎‎The defense also noted that the AGF lacks legal right to prosecute private defamation claims and argues that the selective enforcement of these charges violates her constitutional rights and suppresses free speech.‎‎

Her legal team insists the court must determine the jurisdiction issue before any further trial proceedings.

This therefore prompted an adjournment by Justice Chizoba Orji.‎‎

This particular case stems from allegations connected to statements she made concerning Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. ‎‎Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is also on trial at the Federal High Court over cyber crime charges.

That case too is at the stage of determining whether the court has jurisdiction or not.

At the court a section of the senator’s supporters spoke on the reopened of her office at the National Assembly complex.‎‎‎

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics

Governorship candidates Speak On Next Chapter For Lagos

Doherty maintained that government must become the biggest housing developer in the state and provide alternatives to private rental accommodation.

Published

on

By

debate
42 Views

Photo: APC candidate, Obafemi Hamzat; ADC candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, NDC candidate, Funsho Doherty, and PDP candidate, Adedeji Doherty during the 2027 Lagos State governorship debate organised by Vanguard Newspaper ,Channels Television, TVC, Punch Newspapers, and The Cable on Sunday.

Governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have presented their proposals for addressing some of Lagos State’s major challenges, including housing, transportation, and healthcare, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The candidates unveiled their manifestos during the 2027 Lagos State governorship debate organised by Vanguard Newspaper ,Channels Television, TVC, Punch Newspapers, and The Cable on Sunday.

The ADC candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, promised to deliver more than 100,000 housing units if elected, saying his administration would prioritise affordable accommodation for ordinary residents rather than the wealthy.

He said the proposed houses would be allocated transparently to prevent individuals from acquiring multiple units under the scheme.

“The elites, the rich, can do it for themselves.

The government’s role is to lift up people that cannot do it for themselves, and this comes into housing to ensure that we deliver 100,000-plus housing units and make it affordable so that it is transparently allocatable. We are not going to have a situation where one person can own ten units,” Rhodes-Vivour said..

The ADC candidate also promised legislation to protect tenants against arbitrary rent increases, proposing that landlords should give at least six months’ notice before increasing rents, with the increment guided by a stipulated percentage.

The All Progressives Congress candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, who is the incumbent deputy governor, pledged to enforce existing regulations against arbitrary rent increases and the demand for multiple years’ rent in advance.

Hamzat said his administration would ensure compliance with the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency Law, stressing that tenants should not be required to pay two or three years’ rent upfront.

“The next chapter for Lagos is to enforce. To make sure people are not asked two or three years ahead, because people don’t get paid two or three years ahead,” he said.

He also said the state had established 24 housing estates in the last eight years, promising to expand access to quality accommodation through increased mortgage facilities and the completion of ongoing housing projects across the state.

The NDC candidate, Funsho Doherty, called for greater government involvement in providing affordable housing, arguing that private developers alone could not meet the accommodation needs of low- and middle-income residents.

He also proposed the establishment of an ombudsman’s office to address what he described as exploitation of tenants to address what he described as exploitation of tenants through excessive agency, legal and other charges.

Doherty said the housing shortage was largely driven by the failure of supply to keep pace with population growth and demand, particularly in the affordable and social housing segments.

He argued that government should take the lead in addressing the gap rather than leaving housing provision largely to private investors.

He emphasised that the last major government-led housing intervention in the state was during the administration of former Governor Lateef Jakande.

The PDP candidate, Adedeji Doherty, proposed that the Lagos State Government should become a major property developer and build houses which residents could rent directly from the government.

He argued that government regulation alone could not force private landlords to reduce rents, insisting that the state should compete with them by providing more affordable accommodation.

“There is no landlord, and there is no government that can control a landlord. What we are going to do is very simple.“We are going to rent those houses ourselves, and then you can come and rent from us if you want to,” he said.

Doherty maintained that government must become the biggest housing developer in the state and provide alternatives to private rental accommodation.

“If they (government) cannot compete with the landlords, then let us forget it,” he said.

Continue Reading

Politics

Tinubu Woos Nigerian Youths At Rivers Rally

“It is left for you to use the weapon you have. And that weapon is the PVC. If you have not collected yours, please go ahead and collect it. Please. I beg you. I take God beg you,” Tinubu said.

Published

on

By

Tinubu speaking at a state reception held in his honour at the newly constructed Banquet Hall of AR1
71 Views

• Tinubu speaking at a state reception held in his honour at the newly constructed Banquet Hall of ARISE Palm Resort in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, following the APC rally at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, on Friday, November 6, 2026.

President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerian youths to actively participate in the 2027 general elections.

He spoke during the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential rally in Rivers on Saturday.

The President said that the outcome of the 20Ralky27 elections would have significant implications for the future of young Nigerians.

Addressing the youths at the rally, the President said they had a responsibility to shape the country’s future through active participation in the electoral process.

“To the youth of Nigeria, I’m looking at you. This election is about you. It’s not about me. Your future depends on this election,” he said.

He urged those who had registered as voters but were yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to visit the appropriate collection centres, describing the voter card as an important instrument for determining the country’s leadership.

The President appealed to young Nigerians not to disregard the opportunity to participate in the electoral process, saying their votes would give them a voice in deciding the direction of the country.

“It is left for you to use the weapon you have. And that weapon is the PVC. If you have not collected yours, please go ahead and collect it. Please. I beg you. I take God beg you,” Tinubu said.

Continue Reading

Politics

JUST IN: Court sacks Mark-led ADC, invalidates Atiku Abubakar’s nomination

Published

on

Atiku ADC
122 Views

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the Senator David Mark-led executives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and voided all actions taken by them on behalf of the party, including the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, the court declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal. The committee had organised the primary that produced Atiku as the party’s flag bearer.

The court upheld a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the party’s former National Deputy Chairman (North-East). Gombe challenged the process by which the Mark-led committee assumed control of the party. He argued that following the resignation of former National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was next in line to lead the ADC and sought the nullification of all actions taken under Mark’s leadership.

Defendants in the suit are the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu.

Continue Reading

Trending