Suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is at the center of a storm following allegations by US-based activist Dr. Sandra Duru, who accused her of attempting to orchestrate a smear campaign against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In a dramatic Facebook live session on May 1, 2025, Duru, also known as Prof. Mgbeke, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan offered her N200 million, later proposing a dollar payment, to fabricate damaging claims against Akpabio, including accusations of murder and organ harvesting.

According to Duru, the senator was desperate for a new strategy after her earlier sexual harassment complaint against Akpabio failed to gain traction.

“She told me bluntly that the sexual harassment allegation was not flying. She said she needed another strategy,” Duru alleged.

“She offered me N200m and later offered to pay in dollars. I said no.”

Duru claimed Akpoti-Uduaghan recruited her to submit petitions to the UK Parliament and the United Nations, falsely accusing the Senate President of murder and organ trafficking.

Duru said the senator promised political rewards if the plan succeeded, including a ministerial appointment or even the governorship of Kogi State.

“She said this is a politically motivated and sponsored attack against what she called the Yoruba government. She said it had nothing to do with Akpabio,” Duru added.

According to the activist, Akpoti-Uduaghan specifically cited the case of a young woman named Umoren, alleging that her kidney was harvested for Akpabio’s wife.

However, Duru said the senator failed to provide any evidence, despite repeated promises.

“She made me understand that she wanted the organ harvesting case to take precedence over the sexual harassment.”

“I asked her for evidence or an autopsy report to prove the case, but she failed to send it,” she said.

Duru also claimed she submitted WhatsApp messages, call logs, and audio clips to U.S. authorities and Nigerian law enforcement for forensic investigation.

In a swift rebuttal, Akpoti-Uduaghan described Duru’s claims as manipulated falsehoods designed to serve Akpabio’s agenda.

Through her aide, Israel Arogbonlo, she accused the activist of fabricating recordings and misrepresenting her statements.

“I have carefully watched the live stream… The content, including the voice effect credited to me, is entirely untrue and most manipulated,” the senator said.

She condemned the alleged statements attributed to her as “crazy falsehoods” and promised to respond comprehensively in due time.

Former Minister of Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, who was also mentioned in Duru’s broadcast, dismissed the accusations as baseless.

“I don’t have a response; zero response. I don’t respond to nonsense,” she told newsmen.

Similarly, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria denied any collusion.

Its Country Vice-President, Eliana Martins, insisted the organization only advocated for due process.

“Even if the issue of sexual harassment has to be proved, it has to be proved. We are interested in a transparent process… We did not collect any money from anybody or collude with anyone,” she emphasized.

Pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere expressed concern over the allegations, calling them a dangerous ethnic and political provocation.

The group accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of seeking to destabilize President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“No one should hold the country to ransom by inventing tribal conspiracies… Our nation will not bow to tribal blackmail,” the group warned.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6, 2025, following a dispute over seating arrangements, which she viewed as a targeted act of disrespect.

The conflict escalated when she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment dating back to a 2023 visit to his country home with her husband, an allegation Akpabio has vehemently denied.

Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has returned to the country after spending two weeks on vacation in Germany.

His arrival marks the end of a quiet period spent abroad amid ongoing political tensions in the state.

Fubara landed at the international wing of the Port Harcourt Airport in Omagwa around 7 p.m., where he was received by a few aides.

A widely shared video captured the moment the governor was escorted into a waiting SUV, which promptly drove him away from the airport.

During his time away, sources revealed that Fubara held a private meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in London, raising speculation about possible political negotiations and realignments.

The meeting reportedly took place behind closed doors, with no official statement released.

Before embarking on his overseas trip, Fubara was said to have engaged in a rare face-to-face meeting with his estranged political mentor and predecessor, Chief Nyesom Wike.

The reconciliation effort was reportedly facilitated by two serving governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former governor from Nigeria’s western region.

The Rivers political crisis escalated earlier this year when President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, leading to the suspension of Fubara, his deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly.

The move came after months of bitter power tussles and allegations of disloyalty within the political structure of the state.

Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Nigeria’s Former Power Minister 

Chinedu Nebo, the former Minister of Power and Vice Chancellor of the University on the Niger, shared his thoughts on Nigeria’s political future and the upcoming 2027 general elections.

In an interview, Nebo discussed the current state of the country, political defections, and his concerns regarding the Electoral Commission’s ability to conduct a fair election.

When asked if he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to secure a position in Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Nebo explained, “I served as a technocrat. I have never been a politician. It was just that I was invited to serve my country, but at that time, if I had a political preference for a political party, it was obviously PDP. But I never really became an active member of a political party.”

Nebo further clarified his limited involvement with the party, stating, “It was just after I was made Minister of Power that somebody suggested I should join the party at least at the ward level. They brought me one small card and filled in my name, and I became a member. But that was it. I was never involved in any of the meetings and what have you.”

Despite the challenges faced by the PDP, Nebo expressed a preference for the party over the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying, “The PDP is falling apart. But I would choose PDP over APC any day.” He criticized the APC for what he perceived as institutionalized corruption, asserting, “APC has glorified corruption. Corruption has become part of our civil service and political system.”

He went on to highlight the extent of corruption, noting, “In the PDP government, there was a lot of corruption, but it was nothing to be compared with the APC. As a political party, quite often, they go for the worst and not the best.”

On the issue of political defections, Nebo lamented, “Defections occur because people are not there to serve the electorate. They are there to protect their interests, steal as much as possible and retain power.”

He criticized the lack of principles in Nigerian politics, comparing politicians to “socio-political prostitutes” who shift allegiances based on personal gain.

He further remarked, “Politicians in Nigeria are mostly socio-political prostitutes. They jump from one place to another. If our politicians see that they will grab more somewhere, they will leave their party and join that one.”

Addressing the pervasive corruption in the country, Nebo emphasized the severity of the issue: “Nigeria has never been this corrupt since I was a child.”

“It is oozing from every fabric of Nigeria and it would destroy this country because the resources are not being utilized for the development of the country.”

He also criticized the judiciary, citing a recent report that highlighted it as the most corrupt arm of government.

“It is a shame that a national parastatal came up recently to say that in the index of corruption, the judiciary is seen by Nigerians as the most corrupt arm of government, followed by the Police Force.”

Nebo was particularly critical of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that its current structure could not deliver a credible election in 2027.

“No amount of opposition will stop Tinubu in 2027 if the corrupt Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) we have now continues,” Nebo warned.

He further explained, “If you have an umpire who is corrupt, who doesn’t care what the electorate says, no amount of voting will change the result of 2027 elections.”

He also raised concerns about glitches in the 2023 election results transmission, noting, “How can you trust an electoral body that did not experience glitches during transmission of the results of the senatorial and House of Representatives elections but suffered glitches in that of the presidential election?”

Discussing the Tinubu administration, Nebo acknowledged some of its positive impacts but expressed concerns over what he described as its “nepotistic attitude.”

“Virtually every appointment that comes out goes to the Southwest. We complained about Buhari, but Tinubu is much worse in that regard,” he said.

He advised the opposition to focus on grassroots mobilization, saying, “If the opposition is strong enough, they should go to the grassroots and convince the electorate not to allow anybody to steal their votes.”

Nebo also addressed the issue of insecurity in the Southeast, criticizing the lack of cooperation among the region’s governors. “It is so unfortunate that in the Southeast, the governors have refused to work together,” he stated.

He emphasized the importance of collective efforts, explaining, “A situation where you do your things individually will have an effect, but the cumulative effect of working together would have strengthened their efforts even much more than what they are doing individually.”

Nebo voiced his support for the establishment of more universities in Nigeria, countering arguments against it by stating, “I don’t think there are too many universities in Nigeria.”

“A situation where more than 60 percent of all those who are qualified yearly or those who take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination never find placement in the universities is an indication that the universities are not too many.”

He also criticized the federal government’s competition with private institutions, saying, “the federal and state governments are killing education by competing with the private universities unduly.”

Nebo shared his experiences working in both public and private institutions, highlighting the challenges faced by private institutions.

“If you are in a federal institution, the resources are often much more abundant than private institutions. Federal universities have undue advantage over the private ones,” he said.

Governor Adeleke,

The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of receiving a N172 million inducement to publicly endorse Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration.

In a statement released on Thursday by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, the APC alleged that labour union leaders in the state were financially motivated to adopt Governor Adeleke’s candidacy for re-election.

“We gathered that the organized labour organisations in the state have been induced to adopt the Governor Adeleke for the second term during the May Day anniversary slated for the Fakunle Comprehensive High School, Osogbo, Osun State,” the statement read.

Olabisi further claimed the funds had already been disbursed among various labour factions.

“To this effect, it has been scooped that the state government has made available the sum of N172 million for the leadership of NLC.”

“With the sharing formula of N97 million for the factionalized NULGE while both the NLC and the TUC are smiling to the bank with a sum of N75 million each meaning that the Governor Adeleke-led government coughed out N172 million as an inducement for the labour unions to adopt him for second term on May Day,” he stated.

The APC also criticized the state’s preparations for the Workers’ Day celebration, describing them as a facade to boost the governor’s popularity.

“Information has it that the purpose of the cash inducement by the state government for the labour unions is to encourage the leaders of the unions to adopt the candidature of Governor Adeleke for second term during the May Day celebration.

“In order to make the forceful second term adoption exercise rosy, the state government has bought Ankara uniforms for all the government workers in the state with a directive to them to flood the venue of the event on the May Day in order to give a false popularity and acceptability to the embattled Governor Adeleke whose popularity is waning on daily basis for acts of mis-governance.”

In response, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bimbo Fasasi, dismissed the allegations as unfounded and unworthy of attention.

“Laughable! That’s all I can say. It is a cheap blackmail, baseless and unworthy of occupying public space for discussion,” Fasasi stated in a brief text message.