The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, says his office has no authority to reinstate the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to her legislative duties.

This clarification was made in a statement released on Monday by the Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, on behalf of the clerk.

It followed reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan had attempted to resume her role in the Senate after a six-month suspension.

Bi-Allah noted that while Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team had submitted a petition and accused the clerk of overreach, the clerk’s office is strictly an administrative arm and cannot review, reverse, or interpret decisions made by the Senate.

“The Clerk does not possess the authority to review, reverse or interpret Senate decisions,” the statement said.

The Senate suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on March 6, 2025, citing gross misconduct. Although the decision has been legally challenged, the Federal High Court has not issued any order overturning the suspension.

The matter is currently before the Court of Appeal.

According to Bi-Allah, Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote to the clerk’s office on September 4, indicating her intention to return to the Senate.

While she could have addressed the letter directly to the Senate President, the clerk’s office forwarded it to the chamber’s leadership.

The Senate leadership responded, noting that the matter remains sub judice and that only the Senate, not the Clerk, has the constitutional power to decide on her resumption.

“Whether Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan can resume her legislative duties… lies solely with the Senate,” the statement emphasized.

The Clerk’s office also rejected claims of misconduct, asserting that all its actions were in line with due process, institutional protocol, and the rule of law.

“The Office of the Clerk remains guided by the principles of constitutionalism, institutional respect and the rule of law,” Bi-Allah stated.

The public was urged to allow the appropriate bodies, namely the Senate and the courts, to handle the matter through the proper legal channels.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over what it calls the ruling party’s pre‑2027 “endorsement shopping.”

At a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, claimed that the string of endorsements for Tinubu reflect not strength, but panic.

Ologunagba pointed out that prominent APC bodies including the Progressive Governors Forum, the National Working Committee and some zonal leaders, alongside others outside the party, have already pledged their backing for Tinubu’s second term.

He argued these moves suggest fear rather than confidence.

The PDP vowed to leverage its upcoming National Convention, scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, as a platform to consolidate its internal unity and shape its strategy to confront the APC in the 2027 elections.

Ologunagba also urged immediate electoral reforms, especially the real‑time transmission of results, to ensure elections are free, fair, and credible in the next cycle.

“The ruling party’s early campaigns are driven by panic,” he said.

“If the President is genuinely performing, his work should speak for him. You don’t need endorsements; people will support you if you’re delivering.”

He added that Nigerians are watching closely and growing weary of what he described as institutional manipulations.

“We want votes to count, to be counted, and to reflect the will of the people,” Ologunagba insisted.

“INEC must enact laws to mandate real‑time result transmission from polling units to avoid manipulation.”

He questioned technology glitches attributed to electoral tools like BIVAS and iREV, saying it undermines credibility when backup systems fail during polling but other electronic systems function.

He called on INEC to ensure seamless technology deployment in 2027.

...Osun, Lagos, Borno Tops Chart

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that more than 4,445,505 Nigerians have pre‑registered online in the nationwide voter registration exercise as of Sunday, September 14, 2025.

DAILY GAZETTE recall that the exercise began on August 18, 2025.

Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, said that over the four weeks since launch, the online registrations have slightly more females (51.83%) than males (48.17%).

Most of those who registered (65.79%) are aged between 18 and 34, and students make up 25.02% of the total.

At the state level, Osun led with 552,045 pre‑registrations, followed by Lagos with 488,523, and Borno with 439,426.

Other states with significant numbers include Ogun (396,799), Kebbi (287,059), Kaduna (240,357), and Kogi (218,397).

The Federal Capital Territory also posted 213,732 pre‑registrations.

On the lower end were states like Ebonyi, Abia, and Enugu, recording under 5,000 registrations each.

In addition to the 4.4 million online figures, INEC also disclosed completed registrations (both online and physical) at 509,929 as of September 12, 2025.

Of this number, 54.94% are female and 45.06% male.

Among completed registrants, youths aged 18‑34 dominate (74.15%), with students representing 38.54%.

INEC also reminded that online pre‑registration is just the first step, registrants must visit physical centres to have their biometric data captured.

As of September 15, the commission noted, online registration in the Federal Capital Territory ends, shifting full focus to in‑person registration centres, which will be gradually extended across all wards from September 29 to October 8, 2025.

Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State has announced that he has made himself the Director-General of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.

He also declared Niger State, with its capital Minna, as the campaign headquarters.

Speaking on TVC’s “Politics on Sunday”, Bago criticized calls for a northern presidency this early into Tinubu’s tenure, calling them “premature and politically hasty.”

He reminded critics that Tinubu is only in his second year in office.

The governor insisted that there is an implicit understanding in Nigeria that power alternates between the North and the South, noting that this arrangement has helped maintain stability.

He recalled that after Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years as president, Tinubu who is from the South, assumed the presidency.

Bago pledged to mobilize support from northern youths and voters for Tinubu.

He also called on presidential hopefuls from the North to wait until after Tinubu’s full two terms before contesting, saying there should be respect for the rotation.

He emphasized unity in the ruling party, urging supporters to focus on loyalty and avoid disunity.

Niger State’s role, he said, will be central to the campaign, with the state acting as its administrative base.