Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to stay out of the sexual harassment allegations leveled against her husband and allow him to respond personally.

The dispute between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio intensified after a Senate floor incident where she refused to sit in a designated seat, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules.

Matters escalated further when she alleged on Arise News that Akpabio had blocked her legislative motions, intimidated her, and harassed her after she rejected his advances.

In response, Mrs. Akpabio held a press conference dismissing the accusations as baseless, insisting that there had always been a cordial relationship between her husband and Akpoti-Uduaghan.

However, in a letter dated March 1, 2025, and addressed to Mrs. Akpabio through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, Akpoti-Uduaghan advised her to refrain from intervening in the matter. The letter, titled “Stay Away from Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Sexual Harassment and Intimidation Allegation Against Sen. President Godswill Akpabio; To Safeguard Your Sanity and That of Your Family,” stressed that the allegations were directed at the Senate President and should be addressed by him alone.

“Our Client does not wish to involve you in the unfortunate circumstances surrounding her allegations against the Senate President and urges you to restrain yourself from interfering,” the letter stated.

Akpoti-Uduaghan further claimed she had endured repeated harassment from Akpabio and was now compelled to speak out, asserting that she possessed “concrete evidence” to support her claims.

She urged Mrs. Akpabio to stay out of the controversy for the sake of her “sanity and family” while reaffirming her commitment to defending Nigerian women and promoting family values.

A group of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Imo State has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to unseat Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere from the House of Representatives following his expulsion from the party.

The suit, filed by their lawyer, Johnson Usman (SAN), argues that Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, should lose his seat in the National Assembly since he is no longer a PDP member.

The plaintiffs also demand that he refund all salaries, allowances, and emoluments received since his expulsion.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/358/2025, was filed on February 27 and names Ugochinyere, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the PDP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

The plaintiffs—Imo PDP Chairman Austine Nwachukwu, Ideato North PDP Chairman Thankgod Okeke, Umuopia/Umukegwu Ward PDP Chairman Agatha Onyejisi, and Imo PDP Vice Chairman Carl Nwokoma—argue that Sections 65(2)(b) and 68(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution automatically disqualify Ugochinyere from holding his seat since he has lost his party membership.

They also insist that the Speaker of the House has a constitutional duty to declare the seat vacant and request INEC to conduct a bye-election within 90 days.

According to Nwachukwu’s affidavit, Ugochinyere was expelled due to alleged anti-party activities.

He was reportedly invited to appear before the PDP Disciplinary Committee twice in late 2024 but failed to do so.

Following his absence, his ward suspended him on October 14, 2024.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge.

The Coalition of Opposition Lawmakers has declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara will continue to steer governance in Rivers State despite Friday’s Supreme Court ruling.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere emphasized that the court’s decision, which ordered the reinstatement of the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, does not affect Fubara’s authority as governor.

He also reassured that governance at the grassroots level would remain intact, despite the court’s decision to nullify the local government elections.

The Supreme Court’s verdict reinstated an earlier judgment barring the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing statutory allocations to Rivers State.

The ruling also directed the pro-Wike faction of the state assembly to resume legislative duties immediately.

However, opposition lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction, arguing that the decision could have negative consequences for the people of Rivers State.

Ugochinyere pointed out that the court did not address the legality of the defection of 27 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a case currently before the Appeal Court.

Ugochinyere criticized the Supreme Court for appearing to legitimize the pro-Wike lawmakers, insisting that their defection remains unconstitutional and is still being contested in court.

“It is surprising that the Supreme Court faulted the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal for lifting the initial order that stopped the release of funds to Rivers State on the grounds that Governor Fubara did not re-present the 2024 budget before the sacked faction of the House of Assembly,” Ugochinyere stated.

He maintained that until the Appeal Court delivers its judgment on the legality of the lawmakers’ defection, Fubara remains firmly in charge of governance in Rivers.

“To those who are power-hungry, let it be clear that the 27 defected lawmakers have lost their legitimacy. They should not celebrate yet—it is not yet uhuru!” he declared.

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Alhaji Shehu Gabam, has dismissed speculations that the party is being positioned as a vehicle for opposition politicians and discontented members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

In an interview, Gabam affirmed that the SDP remains committed to its founding principles and would not serve as a refuge for politicians seeking power for personal gain.

He emphasized that the party has undergone significant restructuring, modernizing its operations while maintaining its core ideology, logo, and slogan.

“The SDP remains an independent political institution built on transparency, integrity, and fairness. We are not desperate for new members at the expense of the party’s integrity, nor are we considering any merger. Mergers often lead to crises, and we will not allow anyone to hijack the party for their own ambitions,” Gabam stated.

He acknowledged that various political figures have engaged with the party but insisted that joining the SDP does not come with special privileges.

“Our rules are simple: anyone can join from their ward, local government, or state and will have equal rights with any other member. The SDP does not belong to any godfather; it is run collectively by its National Working Committee (NWC),” he added.

Gabam also addressed claims made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that the presidency is funding opposition parties to weaken the political landscape.

He denied the allegations outright, challenging anyone with evidence to present it.

“I told Atiku directly that he was wrong. Our party has never received funding from the presidency, any governor, or any private individual. Our financial records are audited and published transparently,” he asserted.

He explained that if the federal government intended to support political institutions, it should be done through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with clear accountability.

“If funding is done through legitimate means, parties will be held accountable. But if it is done secretly, then it becomes corruption,” he noted.

Regarding speculations that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is working with Atiku to create a new political movement, Gabam maintained that the SDP remains an independent force.

He clarified that while he has a long-standing personal relationship with El-Rufai, the former governor has not officially joined the SDP.

“My friendship with El-Rufai dates back over 30 years and is separate from politics. If our political interests align in the future, that would be good. But as of now, we are discussing national issues, not party membership,” he explained.

Gabam insisted that the SDP, not the Labour Party, is the true third force in Nigerian politics.

He pointed out that while many elected officials from the Labour Party have defected, all of SDP’s senators, House of Representatives members, and state assembly representatives remain intact.

“We won elections at various levels, and even in Rivers State, where our local government victory was taken away, we still secured a councillorship position. The SDP is focused on leadership recruitment and institutional building, ensuring that we lay a strong foundation for future generations,” he concluded.

Gabam reaffirmed that the party remains open to genuine individuals who wish to contribute to its growth but warned against those seeking to manipulate it for their personal ambitions.