Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi West) has strongly denied reports that she issued an apology to the Senate concerning her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, labeling such claims as a desperate attempt to silence her.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received a petition yesterday calling for the recall of the Kogi West senator. This development came on the heels of a Federal High Court ruling in Lokoja, Kogi State, which on March 20 vacated the ex parte injunction previously granted to her.

In a statement issued yesterday, the senator denounced what she characterized as an orchestrated campaign aimed at discrediting her and vowed to persist in her quest for justice. She declared:

“I stand firm in my resolve to never apologise for speaking my truth.

“The desperation to silence me is palpable, but I will not be intimidated. The games being played in full view of Nigerians will be exposed, and those who have hijacked our institutions will be held accountable.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that her suspension from the Senate is not merely a personal matter, but rather a clear instance of the powerful suppressing dissenting voices—particularly those of women who dare to challenge the status quo.

Despite the backlash, she insisted on continuing her fight for justice and for the rights of Nigerian women, urging the public to disregard the viral report of an apology, which she described as both false and manipulative.

Secretary to INEC, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, accepted the petition when a group of registered voters from Kogi Central stormed the INEC headquarters in Abuja yesterday.

Previously, a Federal High Court in Lokoja had, on Friday, set aside an earlier ruling that had prevented INEC from receiving the recall process initiated by Kogi Central constituents against their senator.

The court, in a judgment delivered in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid and consistent with the civic rights of the constituents, urging them to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.

Following this ruling, the constituents proceeded to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja to demand her immediate recall.

In a petition dated March 21, 2025, the constituents stated:

“We, the undersigned being duly registered voters of the Kogi Central Senatorial District, hereby invoke our rights under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to formally demand the recall of Sen Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate.

“By this petition, which we have made sure is signed by more than half of the registered voters in Kogi Central, we hereby demand that INEC immediately commences the constitutional and procedural process of recall to remove Akpoti-Uduaghan from office and declare her seat vacant.”

Addressing reporters after submitting the petition, the group’s leader, Charity Omole, stated that those who had elected her now demand her recall.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court, who issued the order setting aside the injunction, also called for an accelerated hearing of the case.

Earlier on Thursday, Dashen had granted an interim injunction restraining INEC from receiving, accepting, or acting on any petition bearing the signatures of members of Kogi Central.

The court also prohibited INEC from conducting any referendum based on such a petition to initiate a recall process for Akpoti-Uduaghan, pending the resolution of a motion on the matter.

However, INEC, represented by its counsel Abdullahi Aliyu (SAN), made an oral application to set aside the ex parte injunction granted to Akpoti-Uduaghan and requested an expedited hearing of the case.

Aliyu contended that, under the Constitution, the Federal High Court does not possess the jurisdiction to prevent a constitutional body like INEC from performing its statutory duties.

“I, hereby, make an oral application by virtue of the pronouncement made by the Court of Appeal in the case between EFCC v Bello for the interim injunction to be discharged,” he argued.

Counsel for the applicants, West Idahosa (SAN), objected to this application, asserting that when complainants raise an allegation of illegality, the court is duty-bound to restrain constitutional actions. He added,

“This is because every rule has an exception. More so the Supreme Court reaffirmed that when a case of illegality is brought before a court, the court would first look at it to be sure it is true. The plaintiffs in this matter said there’s an illegality of forgery backed with a valid affidavit before this honourable court.”

He further requested that the court not allow the application for vacation of the interim injunction.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Dashen granted the application, vacated the interim order, and ordered that the case be expedited.

The case is now adjourned until April 9, 2025, for further hearing.

Victor Giwa, one of the lawyers representing Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has alleged that the Kogi State Government is behind efforts to recall the suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Giwa claimed that the recall campaign is being led by Charity Omole, a senior aide to Governor Usman Ododo.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was recently suspended from the Senate for six months following a dispute over seating arrangements with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

She also accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office.

On Monday, March 24, 2025, Ododo’s aide, Omole, led a group of constituents from Kogi Central to submit a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall.

Giwa asserted that the recall process is politically motivated and orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state against the suspended senator, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“The truth of the matter is that there is no way the recall process can go through except it is done fraudulently,” Giwa stated. He emphasized that the recall procedure involves about 15 stages, describing it as “a tortuous and practically impossible process.”

He also argued that the recall is not based on performance or any issue concerning Akpoti-Uduaghan’s representation but rather on her allegations against Akpabio.

“The process of recall must be such that is initiated from the constituents but in this case, we can see the handwriting on the wall; it is the governor that is trying to do whatever they claim they are doing,” Giwa said.

He further pointed to Omole’s political position as proof of government involvement.

“In this case, the lady that led that protest is the senior special assistant to the governor of Kogi State on women and youths. You will see that is government-sponsored recall.

“Charity Ijese Omole is currently the senior special assistant to the governor of Kogi State on women and youths. It is more or less the government sponsoring this process, not the constituents, and that fundamentally has faulted the process.”

As at the time of this report, Kogi State Government has not responded to these allegations.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the state of democracy in Nigeria, stating that it has become a system focused on power grabbing while those affected are left with no real hope of justice in court.

Obasanjo made the remarks on Monday during the 60th birthday colloquium of former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha.

He criticized the practice of manipulating the democratic process and dismissing concerns by simply telling aggrieved parties to seek legal redress, despite the widespread belief that the judiciary may not deliver justice.

“Democracy is not about grabbing power and telling the victims to go to court knowing that they won’t get justice,” Obasanjo stated.

His comments come amid growing concerns about electoral integrity and judicial independence in Nigeria, with many questioning whether the courts can truly serve as impartial arbiters in political disputes.

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin Daji, has sparked controversy after gifting ₦7 million in cash to his personal assistant, Ibrahim Awwal, who lost a councillorship primary in Mariga Local Government Area.

Awwal, who contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus arrangement, was unsuccessful. While addressing an audience, the Speaker downplayed his aide’s disappointment, questioning why he had contested in the first place.

“You are crying because you lost your councilorship seat. When you went for the contest, I wasn’t aware. I didn’t ask you to contest, and I don’t see a reason why you will pay delegates to be chosen as a councillor consensus candidate. And if they can’t choose you, for God’s sake, there is no need to contest. So don’t bother yourself.

“The whole salary for the three years you spend in office as a councillor if you win is ₦6.4 million. Here is ₦7 million I give you free of charge. So don’t worry about your councilorship aspiration again,” he said.

In addition to compensating Awwal, Sarkin Daji also handed out ₦500,000 each to 12 other aspirants who accepted the consensus process without dispute.

“To be careful about something, there are 12 people who contested for councilorship in different wards of Mariga Local Government and voluntarily accepted the outcome of the consensus process. Aside from the chairmanship aspirant, I gift all the 12 persons ₦500,000 each for their understanding and for not causing any issues as a result of the outcome of the consensus result,” he added.

The move has drawn sharp criticism, with many questioning the Speaker’s priorities. Some social media users argued that such funds could have been better spent on development projects instead of compensating political aspirants.

Yahaya Mohd Usman condemned the decision, calling it a wasteful display of wealth in a state with pressing needs.

“I have watched a video of the Speaker of the Niger State Assembly, Sarkin Daji, allegedly paying out a councilorship aspirant his cumulative three years’ salary to give up his aspiration to contest the seat, with a warning to the man, ‘I didn’t ask you to run.’ What is nauseating about the video is how a supposedly third person in the hierarchy of a state will display such an amount of money in cash as a payout when so many developmental projects in his LGA are yearning for attention.”

Critics also pointed to the lack of progress in Mariga Local Government, arguing that the Speaker should focus on improving roads, schools, and healthcare instead.

Abdulmalik Yakubu questioned Sarkin Daji’s impact, stating: “Call him again and ask if there is any single administrative achievement or accomplishment under his government for the people of his local government constituency so far in the two years of his service as a State member representing his constituent.

“With people like him, democracy will not go anywhere and will not do anything meaningful to the lives of our people.”

Another commentator, Abdul Adon Faila, speaking in Hausa, expressed disappointment over the Speaker’s priorities.

He said: “That is not right because someone may urgently need ₦100,000 in assistance but cannot get it.”

The video

Senator Natasha, 

Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from the case filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central District.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Egwuatu announced his decision to recuse himself, citing allegations of bias raised by the third defendant in the case, Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Explaining his decision, the judge stated, “The case file will be returned to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment to another judge.”

Reports indicate that Senate President Akpabio had expressed doubts about the court’s ability to handle the matter fairly, leading to the latest development.

Justice Egwuatu had previously issued an ex-parte order preventing the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from taking disciplinary action against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

She had approached the court seeking an injunction to stop the Senate and its ethics committee from “proceeding with the purported investigation” against her.

The controversy stems from a dispute over seat arrangements in the Senate, during which Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office.

Following the incident, the Senate suspended her for six months, citing misconduct.

President Tinubu & Mr. Peter Obi, 

President Bola Tinubu has cautioned Peter Obi to be mindful of his statements and refrain from undermining his administration.

In a statement issued by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the presidency condemned what it described as Mr. Obi’s “exaggerated” criticism of the Tinubu government.

Mr. Obi, a former presidential candidate and ex-governor, had accused the current administration of engaging in political brigandage and corruption, asserting that democracy had collapsed in Nigeria.

However, the presidency strongly objected to this claim.

“I will urge him to watch what he says and restrain himself from playing to the gallery,” the presidential aide warned.

“His hyperbolic remarks, suited for headlines, have been made without deep reflection and lack a solid logical foundation.”

Mr. Onanuga further criticized Mr. Obi, describing him as a “discontented and disgruntled” politician.

He argued that if democracy had indeed collapsed, as Mr. Obi suggested, he would not have had the freedom to express his views.

“How can a democracy that has strengthened over the past 26 years be said to have collapsed?” Mr. Onanuga asked.

“Only a discontented and disgruntled Peter, who benefits from the very free speech democracy provides, could perceive such a democratic downfall through his lens.”

He continued, “If democracy had indeed collapsed, as Peter claims, and we were living under a regime antithetical to democratic principles, he would not have been able to make his comments on Monday at Emeka Ihedioha’s colloquium.”

At the same event, former President Olusegun Obasanjo also made critical remarks about the Tinubu administration.