Category: Politics

Like the House of Representatives, the Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, invoking its constitutional powers under the amended 1999 Constitution.

The approval grants President Tinubu the authority to enforce emergency measures while mandating a review of the situation at any time, but no later than six months.

Per the Constitution, the National Assembly has also imposed a joint committee of both chambers, to oversee the administration of affairs in Rivers State during the emergency period.

Additionally, the Senate has resolved to establish a mediation committee consisting of eminent Nigerians to help resolve the state’s political crisis. Channels TV

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months following the political crisis that had rocked the state.

Two days after the move, Tinubu wrote to the National Assembly, seeking their approval for the emergency rule declaration.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbass read the president’s letter during a plenary session on Thursday.

When put in a voice vote, the lawmakers overwhelmingly backed President Tinubu’s declaration, approving his decision.

According to Abbass, 240 lawmakers attended the session, meaning there was a quorum. Channels TV

The lawmakers claimed that the governor was not willing to comply with the apex court order, especially the aspect requiring him to re-present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the Assembly. They also denied receiving any correspondence from the governor on the budget re-presentation.

The media was awash last week with reports about the governor being locked out of the Assembly complex, where he had gone, allegedly, based on formal correspondence, to do the budget re-presentation, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

However, Chairman, House Committee on Information and spokesperson of the Assembly, Enemi George, who spoke to a select group of journalists, on Sunday in Port Harcourt, challenged Fubara to produce the acknowledged copy of the letter he claimed to have sent to the legislature on the budget re-presentation.

But in a letter dated March 7, 2025, from the office of the Secretary to the State Government, the speaker and all members of the Assembly were invited to a meeting with the governor at his office on March 10 to discuss, among others, the presentation of the budget.

The letter said the meeting would also discuss provision of a befitting space for Assembly sittings and payment of outstanding salaries and allowances of the legislators.

As the political crisis in Rivers State festered, Pan-Niger Delta Youths Forum (PANDYEF) called on President Bola Tinubu to leverage his authority and ensure lasting peace and security in the oil-rich state.

The appeal came as hundreds of women from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State called on Fubara to keep maintaining his peaceful disposition, despite the challenges he faced from detractors.

Similarly, stakeholders from the Ogoni ethnic nationality called for peace among the Ogoni as they continued to dialogue with the federal government ahead of the resumption of oil exploration in the area.

Rivers State House of Assembly called on members of the public to compel Fubara to follow the established due process in presenting the appropriation bill instead of playing to the gallery.

George said, “Last week, we were told that on his way to Ogoni for a programme, the governor made a stopover at the gate of the House of Assembly Quarters to grant an interview to the press.

“In that interview, he claimed that he had sent a letter to the House of Assembly indicating his intention to visit and present the appropriation bill, a claim we found rather astonishing, as no such letter was received by the House of Assembly.

“His aides later alleged that they forwarded a letter through WhatsApp to some members of the house, which was also awkward, unprofessional and embarrassing.

“As I speak, the social media space is awash with stories about a purported letter from the governor to the House of Assembly expressing his intention to visit the house to present the appropriation bill for the year 2025.

“Nothing can be farther from the truth. We want to state categorically that there is no such letter before the House of Assembly or any of its staff.

“We challenge the governor and his aides to produce an acknowledgement copy of such a letter or any evidence that such a letter was sent or received by the House of Assembly.

“It is absolutely untrue and unfortunate. The general public must, as a matter of importance, ignore such claim.

“It is now very obvious that if at all there was such a letter, the intended recipient was not the legislature, but the public, and the clear intention was to play to the gallery, whip up public sentiment, demonise the House of Assembly, and set the public against us. This is demeaning, denigrating and perilously unfortunate.”

George said the governor frustrated all the efforts of the Assembly to work with him to resolve the lingering crisis immediately after the Supreme Court judgement, particularly, on presentation of the Appropriation Bill, in the interest of the state.

He stated, “Recall, after the recent Supreme Court judgement on the budget of our state, it became absolutely necessary for the governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, to present the appropriation bill to the legislature for consideration and passage.

“Also, recall that immediately after the judgement, this house wrote to the governor, calling on him to immediately present the budget for speedy consideration.

“It was our hope that by the 15th of March, 2025, we would have concluded the process of passing the appropriation bill into law, so as to give us enough time to approach the federal government to release funds meant for our state, which have been seized by the judgement of the Supreme Court.

“This we did in the interest of our dear state and in pursuit of peace, recognising that no government can function optimally without a harmonious co-existence between the executive and the legislature.”

According to him, “This letter was rejected and the staff of the House of Assembly, who attempted to deliver the mails, were brutalised at the gate of the Government House and sent back.

“Undeterred by this, the house resorted to use a courier service to deliver the mail. The governor did not heed to our call, nor did he demonstrate any intention to.

“Recall, again, that the judgement of the Supreme Court invalidated the appointment of most of the commissioners of the state. To bridge this gap and avoid a vacuum, this house immediately wrote to the governor to submit the list of commissioners for immediate screening.

“Our letter was again rejected at the Government House and we once again resorted to deliver the mail through a courier service. Rather than heed our call, the governor instructed them to go to court against us, which they have now done.

“The governor went further to instruct all ministries, agencies and departments of government not to receive any correspondence from the Rivers State House of Assembly nor communicate with us in any manner.”

George said the governor must be reminded that the House of Assembly was not an appendage of the executive and its members were not his slaves, bondservants and serfs.

He said, “We are an independent arm of government in line with the principles of horizontal separation of powers as expressed in Section 4, Section 5, and Section 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

“It is in responding to the attitude that the supreme court said in its judgement: A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of the state under the 1999 Constitution.

“In this case, the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is, there is no government in Rivers State.”

George said the Assembly had hoped that such strong words from the Supreme Court would help “purge the governor of such despotic ways”.

As an Assembly, he said the lawmakers were severely solicitous of progress of the state, adding that one man should not be allowed to hold everybody in the state to ransom because of his ego.

George called on the governor to do the right thing in the right and lawful way to allow the state make progress.

He said the Assembly was the worst hit in the ongoing crisis, lamenting that the lawmakers have suffered untold hardship. The legislative spokesman insisted that the governor must be stopped from extending such punishment to Rivers people.

He said, “This Assembly has borne the brunt of this crisis. We have endured immense hardship. We have been battered almost beyond our carrying capacity.

“We have been punished unduly and unfairly for trying to perform our constitutional duties. Our governor must not extend this punishment to Rivers people. No, please, no. We must not allow it.

“We have seen hell: our hallowed chamber was burnt down by the governor. The House of Assembly Complex was brought down by the governor, totally demolished alongside our personal effect and belongings.

“Our speaker’s residence was brutally attacked. Our residential quarters was brutally invaded by the governor. Our allowances have been seized for about a year and six months. We still continue to suffer.

“Yet we have resolved to put all of these behind us in the interest of our state, so that our state can move forward. We cannot afford to punish our people because of our ego and personal interests.

“We have our aged pensioners, who must receive their pensions. We have our teachers in public schools who we depend on for our children to be educated, they must be paid their salaries.

“We have government hospitals and health centres, which our people depend on for discounted and affordable medical services.” Arise News.

Wike, speaking at a grand reception held in his honour by the Kalabari people in Abalama, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, criticised the governor’s choice of allies, saying that Fubara is surrounded by individuals who had previously harboured governorship ambitions.

According to him, he refused to approve Fubara’s alliance with those individuals because he knew they had no good intentions for the people of Rivers State.

The minister declared that Governor Fubara was already down politically and boasted that more setbacks were awaiting him.

He said, “You (Fubara) surround yourself with people who wanted to be governor, to whom I said ‘no, these people don’t mean well for Rivers State.’ They are the ones surrounding you, giving you advice.

“Do you think you will succeed? They will give you bad advice and look at what bad advice is doing to you. You are already down 2-0, and there’s more to come. I have never seen this type of politics where you surround yourself with those who want your seat.”

This comes a few days after Wike said nothing catastrophic would occur if the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, proceeds with the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike stated that there was nothing unusual about a state legislature removing a sitting governor over alleged impeachable offences, including claims that Fubara withheld lawmakers’ salaries for several months.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart said, “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?

“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.

“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order. ’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”

Wike also dismissed suggestions that the Assembly was acting in bad faith, noting that if the lawmakers were not interested in peace, they would have embarked on a six-month recess after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the state’s political crisis. Tribune

Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike stated that there was nothing unusual about a state legislature removing a sitting governor over alleged impeachable offences, including claims that Fubara withheld lawmakers’ salaries for several months.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart said, “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?

“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.

“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order’. Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”

Wike also dismissed suggestions that the Assembly was acting in bad faith, noting that if the lawmakers were not interested in peace, they would have embarked on a six-month recess after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the state’s political crisis.

He also criticised a recent letter written by Governor Fubara to the Assembly, stating that the governor could have handled the matter more appropriately.

Recall that Fubara was on Wednesday locked out of the temporary Rivers State House of Assembly complex along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, where he was scheduled to re-present the 2025 budget.

The governor arrived at the Assembly complex with his entourage but met the entrance gate locked.

Governor Fubara stated that he had notified the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, of his intention to re-present the budget through a formal letter.

He added that efforts to reach the Speaker by phone since Tuesday had been unsuccessful.

The lawmakers had earlier given the governor a 48-hour ultimatum to re-present the budget, which had initially been passed by a four-member faction of the Assembly loyal to him.

In their resolution, signed by the Speaker, the lawmakers stated, “Pursuant to the order of the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/CV/1174/2024, which calls for the stoppage of Statutory Federal allocations to the Rivers State Government and the halting of spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State until an Appropriation Bill is passed, you are requested to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the House in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The House expects you to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill within 48 hours.” Tribune

Reports indicate that Governor Fubara had arrived at the Assembly early in the day to implement a key provision of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment—the presentation of the 2025 budget to a properly constituted State Assembly.

However, Assembly staff, speaking anonymously, claimed there was no formal communication regarding the Governor’s visit.

“I am not aware that the Governor was scheduled to be at the Assembly today (Wednesday). If such information existed, the Rt. Hon. Speaker would have informed us. As of now, we have no knowledge of his visit,” a source stated. Vanguard

The meeting is scheduled to hold at the Governors Office in the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday.

This was announced in a letter dated March 7 and obtained by Channels Television on Sunday.

The letter was signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo.

“I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5th March, 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court judgement, and has therefore directed me to invite you and your colleagues – the Honourable members of the Rivers State House of Assembly,  to a meeting,” the letter partly read.

According to the SSG, the planned meeting between the governor and the lawmakers would centre on provision of a befitting place for assembly sittings, payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members.

Others include the presentation of budget and sundry matters as well as other matters aimed at charting a new way forward for the oil-rich state.

“Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt Hon Speaker, and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to a meeting with the Governor as follows:

“Monday, March 10, 2025. Time: 10am, Venue: Office of the Governor, Government House, Port Harcourt.

“Many thanks Sir as we look forward to your kind attendance with a view to charting the way forward in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”

The Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will challenge in court the six-month suspension slammed on her following her face-off with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seating arrangements in the red chamber.

The legal counsel to the Kogi lawmaker, Victor Giwa, dismissed the Senate resolution as a violation of a court order.

Giwa spoke with The PUNCH on Thursday after the Kogi lawmaker was suspended by the senate and walked out from the National Assembly complex.

The Nigerian Bar Association and opposition parties similarly berated the red chamber for not giving Akpoti-Uduaghan ample time to present her sexual harassment complaint against Akpabio.

Giwa said the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges acted in violation of a court order that allegedly restrained it from taking further action on the matter pending the determination of a motion on notice.

“The suspension is void, it cannot even take any effect. The suspension is illegal because there is a court order that restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from taking further action.

‘’The committee disobeyed a valid court order that was served on them, making a mockery of the chamber that is supposed to uphold the law,” Giwa said.

He argued that if Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had not sought legal intervention, the suspension might have stood.

The lawyer also expressed conviction that with a court order explicitly directing the Senate to halt disciplinary actions, the decision to suspend her was null and void.

Giwa further revealed that legal action would be taken against those responsible for violating the court’s directive.

“We are going back to court. The case is coming up in about two weeks, and we will inform the court that despite being served, including the Senate President, they still acted in violation of the order by suspending the plaintiff,” he stated.

When asked if there were plans to escalate the matter to international organizations, Giwa said, “For now, we are handling it locally. But, of course, the world is watching. The Senate must adhere to international best practices, which dictate that once a case is in court, no further action should be taken on it.”

He highlighted that the Nigerian Constitution supersedes the Senate Standing Orders, stating that every citizen had the right to seek redress in court when their civil rights are breached.

“Section 6, subsection 6 of the Constitution grants every citizen the right to seek redress when their civil rights are violated. Senator Natasha has done exactly that. Her suspension is an attempt to silence her for alleging wrongdoing against the Senate President, which amounts to a breach of her right to a fair hearing,” he added.

The Senate imposed a six-month suspension on the lawmaker without pay over what it called the breach of its Standing Orders following her claim of sexual harassment, an allegation that Akpabio denied.

In an earlier interview with Arise Television on February 28, the Kogi senator, who made headlines the previous week after a public dispute with the Senate President over seating arrangements in the Senate, accused Akpabio of making sexual advances towards her.

Her sexual harassment complaint was referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review, which later recommended her suspension.

The resolution of the Senate followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the committee during plenary on Thursday.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South) presented the report on the floor of the red chamber.

The report, signed by all 14 members of the committee, offered seven recommendations against the Kogi Central senator.

The committee found her guilty of all allegations against her as she did not attend the investigative hearing to defend herself.

In its recommendations, it proposed that Akpoti-Uduaghan may have the six-month suspension reduced only if she tenders a formal apology to the Senate President for her outburst during last week’s plenary session.

As part of the suspension, the legislator’s salary and security details will be withdraw and her  office locked but her legislative aides would receive their remuneration throughout the period.

Meanwhile, the Senate rejected the Imasuen-led committee’s recommendation of an apology, saying such would only be entertained at the end of the six-month suspension.

The seven-point recommendations by Imasuen read, “One, that the Senate do suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for her total violation of Senate standing rules, bringing the presiding officer and the entire Senate to public opprobrium.

“Two, that for the Senate to consider lifting or reducing the duration of the suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan shall submit a written apology to the Senate before reconsideration.

‘’Three, that the Senate suspend Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan with effect from March 6, 2025, from all legislative activities.

“Four, that her office be locked up for the duration of her suspension and that she hands over all Senate properties in her possession to the Clerk of the National Assembly.

“Five, that for the duration of her suspension, she must not be seen within the vicinity of the Senate or the National Assembly, including her staff.

“Six, that her salaries and allowances, including those of her legislative aides, be suspended, and that all security details assigned to her be withdrawn for the period of her suspension.

“Seven, that during her suspension, she be barred from representing herself locally and internationally as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Whip, others commend panel

In his contribution, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Tahir Monguno; Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro; and Senators Jimoh Ibrahim, Sunday Karimi, Francis Fadahunsi, Mohammed Dandutse, Cyril Fasuyi, and Adams Oshiomhole commended the committee for a job well done.

This is just as they condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s disobedience of the Senate Rules, which in their opinion, brought the law-making body into disrepute.

They called for the enforcement of the sanctions, arguing that anything short of that would lay a dangerous precedent for the parliament.

On his part, Senator Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North) sought the protection of the aides of the embattled lawmaker as he called for the amendment of the prayer concerning them.

Kalu said, “We cannot punish the aides of Senator Natasha for an offence they did not commit. They are staff of the National Assembly and they have no other farm or means of livelihood apart from the salaries they earn from the Senate.

“As such, it would be wrong for us as a Senate to deny them and their families their salaries. I move that we should please amend that recommendation and allow them to earn their salaries.”

The Senate agreed with Kalu’s suggestion and saved the Kogi Senator’s aides from losing their salaries for six months.

In a debate featuring lawmakers elected on the platforms of different political parties, the Senate adopted all the recommendations, albeit with an amendment to prayer six, allowing the Kogi lawmaker’s aide to draw their salaries and allowances during the suspension period.

Effort by a former president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, to stop the red chamber from withdrawing the security aides of the suspended senator failed as the Senate President rejected it.

After the adoption of the report, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan briefly interrupted the proceedings.

She said, “This injustice against me will not be sustained. I will fight against it.”

The Kogi politician was, thereafter, escorted out of the chamber by the Sergeant-At-Arms personnel in the chamber.

She rebuffed efforts by journalists to speak with her as she drove away in her black Sports Utility Vehicle.

Earlier before her suspension, she had resubmitted a sexual harassment petition against Senator Akpabio during plenary, this time, on behalf of her constituents, led by one Zubairu Yakubu.

After confirming there were no legal barriers, Akpabio directed her to lay the petition before the Senate.

Her petition was then referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, chaired by Imasuen with a mandate to report back within four weeks.

Natasha’s husband, my close friend – Akpabio

Meanwhile, Akpabio has disclosed that he slept in a hotel located within the premises of the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State when Akpoti-Uduaghan wedded her heartthrob, Mr Emmanuel Uduaghan.

He said, “The person we are talking about here is the wife of my very good friend, or so I thought. I slept in Dangote Cement Factory in Obajana, Kogi State on the night of Senator Natasha’s wedding because the Kogi airport lights were in a poor state.”

The former governor disclosed that as the Senate President, his responsibility is to protect the institution, relying on the rules.

“The rules give me the power to give a ruling on points of order. I’m in the best position to interpret the rules of the Senate,” he added.

In the same vein, the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, denied threatening Akpoti-Uduaghan during a midnight conversation with her and challenged security agencies to investigate his claims.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s colleague from Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Sunday Karimi also apologised to Akpabio for backing her for a leadership role.

The Senate, thereafter, warned the suspended senator to stop violating the Senate Standing Rules.

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Monguno, gave the warning after reporting to the Senate that the embattled lawmaker had persistently refused to stand to her feet anytime the Senate President led the procession to commence the day’s plenary in clear violation of the Senate Standing Orders 55(1).

Monguno said Akpoti-Uduaghan cannot hide under a session of the rules to air her opinions and at the same time disregard other provisions in the Standing Orders.

“Senator Natasha has been consistently and persistently in breach of this rule. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. We urge her to study the rules and comply in observance and not in breach,” Monguno said.

However, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension has continued to reverberate across the polity with the NBA, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi expressing displeasure over the handling of the case.

The Chairperson of the NBA Women Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, queried the manner in which the matter was handled.

She stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which is a build up on the dispute between her and Akpabio, might not have been the right decision to take in the interest of justice.

Stressing that in the interest of justice, she deserved fair hearing before such decision should have been taken.

She said, “To start with I will say on the suspension, we are all lawyers and would like to see fairness across board. We know the allegation is very big and he who asserts must prove so we will want her to prove the allegations and we expect fairness in it.

“I see her suspension as a kind of intimidation; you cannot be a judge in your own court. If something affects you, slide by the side and let justice take its course because we need to see fairness.

“We as citizens we would like to see a fair level ground for everybody. She is alleging and proving and peradventure she is unable to prove what she has alleged, she knows what would come to her. We are in a democracy, suspension is not the answer.’’

Speaking further, Muhammad noted, “The question here is: Did the committee call her before suspending her?  Did she refuse to come? Did she send a representation? If she was not called then what was the yard stick used in suspending her and if she was called and she refused to go that will be very wrong of her because she was called to prove her innocence and her refusing to honour the invite will be wrong.

“Those who suspended her should know there are people out there watching and we all want justice because as far as we are concerned, the Senate is a sacred place and what is happening right now should not be happening.’’

Professor Itsey Sagay (SAN) stated that since the matter was already before a court of law, it should have been left for the courts to decide.

‘’The matter is in court as I know and I’m surprised they didn’t leave it at that stage. I feel very sympathetic towards her because in an assembly full of men there’s a tendency towards self-defence but the men rather than looking at the matter objectively, they didn’t.

‘’I think very seriously she is at a disadvantage in that type of circle. It can never be right because everybody is saying I could be the one. My advice to her is to put the matter behind her and carry on with her life totally ignoring all those things and do her job for her people of Kogi knowing that they elected her,’’ he counselled.

Chief Awa Kalu, SAN, believed the Senate was too hasty in their decision, saying, “My comment on the decision of the Senate is that it is hasty.”

Like the NBA, Wale Balogun (SAN), argued that there are procedural steps that should be followed before the lawmaker was suspended.

“Legally, it is an internal affair of the legislators and they have their rules of engagement provided exercising their right and rules of engagement which they comply with as their own internal rules and regulations and then in addition to that, exercising such actions in compliance with the Constitution.

‘’For instance, was she heard? This is a fundamental constitutional provision. The Constitution requires that your internal procedure notwithstanding, should ensure that the person is invited. She should have been heard.’’

Another senior lawyer,  Lekan Ojo (SAN) also questioned the suspension stating that she has a right to cry out to the public.

“They suspended her for what? For crying to the public. But again, there are certain things in life when you get to a particular stage or you attain a particular status in life, there are ways and manners in which you must go about particular things,’’ he noted. Punch