Category: Interview

  • Rot In Judiciary: What I told Justice Kekere Ekun in a supermarket — Senator Sola Akinyede

    Rot In Judiciary: What I told Justice Kekere Ekun in a supermarket — Senator Sola Akinyede

    Former member of the Nigerian Constituent Assembly, Sola Akinyede, in this interview, discusses the rot in the judiciary

    Akinyede calls for the National Judicial Council, NJC, to be reconstituted, saying the NJC is abusing its powers. Excerpts:

    You are one of those who have been quite vocal about the absolute need for judicial reforms in Nigeria. Why?

    As a young lawyer, I remember when I finished studying law in England and my father wanted me to do a PhD. I said no. I had done a master’s. I wanted to come back to Nigeria because I knew there were a lot of opportunities. He was a lawyer and I joined him in his practice. By the time my son graduated from the United Kingdom also in 2006, he came here. I had forced him to come to Nigeria for his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

    He did. But when he got here, he said there was no way he could practice here. He is back in the UK. When I was a student in England, the first time I heard of Justice Udo Udoma, I knew about him because his son was a classmate in King’s College. But the first time I read his judgment was in a British university. His judgment was cited in the British textbooks. So that shows the extent of the international regard that Nigerian jurists had. Today, you can not say that.

    And I remember when Justice Dattijo Muhammad was making his valedictory statement, he alluded to that. The kind of decisions that the courts make, including the Supreme Court’s decision on Imo governorship election 2020, it is a decision that nobody can explain. And there are so many other decisions like that. Some of the decisions in respect of the primaries in 2023. Decisions like the Kano Emirate cases. A person who has been a lawyer for just two years knows that the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction in respect of chieftaincy matters.

    But the case went on. The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court knows that. The judge to whom the case was assigned knows that. The senior advocate of Nigeria filing the case knows that, but the case went on. There is no serious country in the world where that happens. If you file a case meant for the family division in the UK in the chancellery, the judge in the family division will automatically transfer the case to the correct division.

    But in Nigeria, the judiciary has allowed and enabled the elite to abuse the judicial process. A case that has nothing to do with Rivers State, where the events occurred in Lagos or Jos, will be filed in Port Harcourt. And then it will be filed in a court that has no jurisdiction at the Federal High Court. And that is a self-inflicted wound by the judiciary.

    Those are the things that you see. Then the other issue is the case of senior justices, or senior judicial officers setting up their children in the judiciary. 30, 40 years ago, that didn’t happen. For the senior judicial officers putting in their children; if the justices were like them when they were practicing, they would not have become senior justices.

    It is an abuse of the process. The reason this abuse is taking place is because of the structure of the two judicial bodies, the Federal Judicial Service Commission and also the National Judicial Council. Now, the Federal Judicial Service Commission is headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria. The duty or function of that body is to shortlist candidates for judicial positions and advise the NJC.

    The NJC is also headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria. So you have a situation whereby the Chief Justice of Nigeria goes to the Federal Judicial Service Commission, and then he shortlists candidates for judicial positions, and then after he has shortlisted those candidates, he takes that list himself back to the NJC and decides who to appoint and present to the president.

    That is what is happening. That is why senior judges are strutting with their children. In the FCT Federal High Court, eight out of 12 judges appointed were the children or relatives of senior judicial officers or ex-judicial officers. That is a statistical improbability.

    One of the key reforms that you propose is one that seeks to substantially whittle down the powers of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, powers which you and many other lawyers and key players in the justice sector say are simply too enormous…

    Absolutely. There are 23 members in the National Judicial Council. The Chief Justice of Nigeria appoints 19 out of 23 members. Out of those 23 members, 88 per cent, that is almost 90 per cent, are judicial or ex-judicial officers. So, when the Chief Justice of Nigeria has appointed about 88 per cent of the members, including the non-lawyers, and members of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, who will have the guts, when he brings the name of his son or his daughter, to challenge the CJN? That is why it is important that the NJC should be reconstituted.

    Is that what the bill you proposed contained?

    Yes. I left the Senate in 2011, so I no longer have the bill. I sent it in June. Although, when I was in the Senate, I had made some proposals in 2010, along those lines. I think nobody took them seriously. Obviously, things were not as bad as they were 14 years ago. I hope this time around, people will take these proposals seriously because the judiciary is in a state of decay.

    But some would argue that it is the politicians, the people that you find in places like the National Assembly, who are responsible for the rot and not so much as the powers of the Chief Justice in particular…

    It just shows us to the extent to which things have changed. During the time of the military, the judiciary resisted the military in spite of the fact that they had a barrel of a gun. Now, the judiciary has its hands and gloves with the politicians. I am sorry to say. It is a conspiracy of the judiciary, the high echelons of the judiciary, with the politicians. That is what is happening. And it is very, very sad. I sent it (the bill) to the Senate Committee on Constitutional Review.

    They have been very busy on budget issues, so they haven’t had time for it. But I am following it up, and I hope that sooner or later, there will be a public hearing. I want to urge Nigerians to look at it because I believe that the son of a vulcanizer, the son of a labourer, a farmer, has a right to aspire to the highest judicial offices in Nigeria. It doesn’t have to be the son of a CJN. Nigerians are affected. They should get in touch with their senators and put pressure on them. Once the judiciary has decayed, as far as I am concerned, the country is finished.

    Most Nigerians don’t have any faith in any institution in this country…

    They should not give up. There will be changes and there could be changes. What needs to be done is for the leadership of the judiciary to attempt to give the people some confidence. I met the CJN about two, three years ago in the supermarket.

    You mean the current CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun?

    Yes, I met her. She has a fantastic pedigree from Lagos when she was practising upright and all that. I told her, my lord, I pray you become the next CJN of Nigeria. A lot of Nigerians, including myself, were disappointed with the judiciary including the Supreme Court.

    What was her response?

    She is a judge, so she did not say anything. They are always very reticent. I am sure they are hearing all these things. As I said on Justice Dattijo Muhammad, Nigerians need to go and read his valedictory speech. He pointed out all the issues. He pointed out all the issues around the judiciary, including bribing judges.

    If you have an appeal from the High Court, it takes about 17, 20 years for that appeal to be heard in the Supreme Court. About 17, 20 years. Why is that? As I said before, it is a self-inflicted wound, because of all these adjournments. Not just adjournments, but cases like the Kano Emirate case. The Kano Emirate case has taken 10 months for it to arrive at the Court of Appeal. It might still go to the Supreme Court. Maybe it will take another year.

    All that is going to be a waste of time, because the Supreme Court is going to come to the conclusion that the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction. But a two-year-old lawyer knows that. Why is the leadership of the judiciary not disciplining judges for that behaviour? Why are senior advocates who file these cases not being disciplined or fined? If you file a case like that, the court should say you are fined 25 million. It is an abuse of the process. That is why you have a lot of delays. Just before he retired, Justice Ariwoola complained that they were overwhelmed with cases and I tweeted that it was self-inflicted.

    In the rationale for the amendments that you propose, you allege that court officials and judges are often bribed by litigants to obtain favourable judgments. Can you cite examples?

    If anybody is going to pay a bribe, he is not going to call the media. As a lawyer, I have friends who are senior advocates who have told me that this happens. And Justice Dattijo, in his valedictory speech, mentioned it. It is something that everybody knows that happens. And my question is this. If the justices of the Supreme Court know that it takes 17 to 20 years for cases at the High Court to arrive at their desk, and then the case that was filed last year arrives at their desk, shouldn’t they be suspicious? Because the justices can know from the suit number of the case and the summary of the case when the case started. Everyone knows that millions change hands under the table to obviate the case.

    Do you think that the heads of the judiciary are unwilling or unable to confront this corruption, which is the reason that we continue to see bizarre judgments coming from them?

    Absolutely. Lawyers are conservative. I think that there is some unwillingness, a lack of political will to address the issue. As I said, Justice Dattijo Mohamed, who was second in command to Justice Ariwoola, mentioned it. And we all know. You ask any lawyer, they will tell you.

    You raised an interesting concept in your bill proposal, which you called fabricated immunity. Can you tell us about it?

    There were a couple of judges who were accused of corruption, watertight cases. But the Court of Appeal brought out a technicality and said that you cannot prosecute a judge, a judicial officer, without the concurrence of the NJC. There is nothing like that in the Constitution. There are no precedents on it. There is no law. Global best practice is non-existent. in fact, in the UK and the US, conviction for an offense is usually a reason why you now start those disciplinary proceedings. So the justices, the appellate courts, unfortunately, have invented this technical immunity for themselves. That is one of the amendments I have made, that you don’t need the concurrence of the NJC.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, and the police should not need the concurrence of the NJC before justices and judges can be prosecuted. If not, we are going to set a bad precedent, because, if you want to prosecute a police officer, you will need the concurrence of the Police Service Commission. If you want to prosecute a civil servant, you will need the concurrence of the Federal Civil Service Commission. It is a very bad precedent.

  • Otti approves N1bn for Abia health insurance scheme

    Otti approves N1bn for Abia health insurance scheme

    UMUAHIA—Governor Alex Otti, has approved the sum of N1 billion for Abia State Health Insurance Scheme, following the approval for the formal rolling out of the scheme by the State Executive Council.

    This is as the Governor has approved the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Mereibeole, who retired recently from the Federal Ministry of Aviation as a Permanent Secretary, as Special Adviser on Projects to oversee the Abia Airport project.

    Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu; and his Health Counterpart, Professor Enoch Uche, disclosed these while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.

    The insurance scheme, according to them, is to provide access to affordable healthcare services for Abia workers.

    Kanu said: “This is one of the health schemes that underscores the high premium the administration places on the health sector.

    “It’s a scheme that will grant Abia workers and indeed Abia citizenry access to affordable healthcare services upon  roll-out.”

    Contributing, the Health Commissioner said the scheme was meant to address the healthcare needs of Abia workers and their dependants.

    He explained that N500 million out of the N1 billion approved by the Governor would be paid in the first tranche while the balance would be released after six months.

    Professor Uche said the Governor had directed that workers in the state be sensitized about the scheme for three months to enable them to embrace and key into it.

    He disclosed that 54,000 persons had enrolled in healthcare insurance for vulnerable groups.

    “As you all know, the basic healthcare provider fund, which provides for the vulnerable groups is already on. As we speak over 54,000 enrollees in that basic health insurance fund are already benefiting from the scheme”.

    On funding the scheme, Prof. Uche said: “By law,  every civil servant is supposed to contribute five percent of his basic salary to the insurance scheme, whereas the state will contribute 10 percent but the Governor has approved that the state will pay 12.5 percent to start with for the first six months whereas each civil servant will contribute 2.5 percent.”

    Meanwhile, the Information Commissioner said that “Project Ekwueme,”, a project that involves the construction of 200 primary health centers across the 184 wards of the state, had recorded 60 percent success.

    “What that means is that very soon, the project will be completed and ready for commissioning”, he declared.

    He also said that the Ministry of Power and Public Utilities was making progress on water projects across the state, noting that the various ongoing water projects are at various stages of completion.

    “I want to inform you that the water project they embarked upon at Aro Ajatakiri is  100 percent completed.  The other water projects they embarked upon in Aro Achara in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government and at Umuetigha   Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area have  reached advanced stages of completion.”

    Kanu added that the Ministry had made progress with the  Water Supply and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) Programme which involves the construction of modern toilet facilities in order to discourage open defecation.

    On the ongoing recruitment of teachers in the state, he explained that the portal which was reopened from 8th to 12 March,  was to give fresh opportunities to some of the applicants “who had issues with the upload of their bio-data, phone numbers, LGAs, and other necessary information.”

    He said the newly appointed Adviser on Projects, Dr Mereibeole, had served as Chief Policy Adviser to the  Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development.

    According to him, Dr Mereibeole amongst other duties, will oversee the Abia Airport project.

    Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi; and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, were present at the press briefing.

  • Natasha suspended solely for unruly behaviour – Senate tells IPU

    Natasha suspended solely for unruly behaviour – Senate tells IPU

    The Nigerian Senate has replied to Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaint to the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU through a letter by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

    TodayPriceNG reported that Senator Natasha had taken her case before the global institution to prevail over what she described as an injustice meted on her.

    But reacting through a letter by the Senate which was read by the Chairperson of the House of Representatives committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Honorable Kafilat Ogbara, who is attending the event in an official capacity representing Nigeria.

    The Senate letter read in part, “Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegation of sexual harassment or assault. The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly refutes the deliberate misinformation and false narrative being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the sixth months suspension of Senator Natsaha-Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “Let it be unequivocally stated that Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders.”

    The Nigerian Senate Representative called for a thorough investigation into the allegations raised by Senator Natasha against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

    She maintained that procedures and necessary actions under the Senate rules were observed before Senator Natasha’s suspension.

    Senator Natasha vowed to continue the fight against “injustice”. But in the wake of the suspension, Akpabio denied the accusations and maintained he has never assaulted women.

    Her altercation with the Senate president started on February 20, 2025, after her seat was changed during plenary.

    That is not the first time both individuals had issues. In July 2024, Akpabio had while trying to correct her for misconduct told her to follow the rules and that the Senate is not a nightclub where anybody can talk anyhow. The Akwa Ibom lawmaker, however, later apologised to her for the remark.

  • 2027: APC will fail woefully and fall like a pack of cards — Ogboru

    2027: APC will fail woefully and fall like a pack of cards — Ogboru

    Over the weekend, at a vibrant youth-led event in Ovwian, Delta Central, Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties to His Excellency, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Oborevwori, Mr. Kelvin Ogboru, made a resounding declaration: There is no vacancy in Osadebe House.

    Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, he reaffirmed, once again, that THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.

    According to Ogboru, true leadership is not about noise and empty promises but about delivering real results. While the opposition thrives on theatrics and distractions, Governor Oborevwori is driving historic progress with tangible development. His leadership is rooted in service, not self-interest—just like great visionaries such as Lee Kuan Yew, who dedicated his life to transforming his nation. Similarly, Governor Oborevwori has prioritised the prosperity of Delta State over personal gain, ensuring that the people, not politics, remain at the heart of governance.

    Ogboru, a formidable youth leader in Abraka and Ethiope East LGA, exuded confidence in the PDP’s total victory come 2027. He emphasised that Governor Oborevwori’s unprecedented developmental strides under the MORE Agenda have cemented his place in history, making his re-election not just a possibility but an inevitability.

    He did not mince words when addressing the opposition, stating, “The APC remains a weak, fragmented, and rudderless party in Delta State—bereft of vision, lacking in unity, and utterly directionless.” He lambasted the APC for its desperate hope that the federal government would “deliver” elections in its favour, rather than engaging in grassroots mobilisation and genuine governance. He further mocked the party’s incompetence, stating, “They are still searching for a credible leader to field in 2027, while PDP already has a leader who is redefining governance, ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach every corner of the state.”

    Ogboru issued a clarion call to all appointees of Governor Oborevwori, urging them to intensify their grassroots engagement and rally total support for the Governor ahead of 2027. He asserted that the coming election will be a landslide victory for the PDP, as Deltans will once again choose progress over propaganda, development over deception, and visionary leadership over political desperation.

  • No approval for 3-storey buildings without elevator, Abia govt warns developers

    UMUAHIA – The Abia state government has warned developers of buildings that it will no longer approve construction of three storey buildings without elevators.

    It stated that all storey buildings with three floors must be fitted with elevators.

    The government explained that the measure is meant to ensure that buildings under construction in the state are safe,fit and habitable to the users and owners.

    Speaking during a training session for the personnel of the building control unit of the Greater Aba Development Authority, GADA, General manager of the agency, Architect Uche Ukeje, disclosed that the strict implementation of the building control measures would eliminate building collapse, ensure protection of lives and properties as well as the construction of environmental friendly buildings.

    Ukeje, represented by the Head of the building control unit of GADA, Mr. Enyinnaya Romanus, warned the officials of the building control unit to ensure stage by stage monitoring and supervision of building projects to promote building standards.

    He said; “Before now, there was nothing like building control in Aba. Now, the rule is that before you cast your foundation, there are certain approvals you must get. Then,you come back and we must come to site to inspect as you build to enable us know if you are following the approvals. We are going to ensure stage by stage supervision and monitoring of building projects. GADA won’t allow sharp practices.

    “There are certain facilities or designs that must be fitted in some type of buildings otherwise you won’t get further approvals to build. No developer will get further approval if there are no provision for elevators in any storey buildings from three floors. We must approve your plan for drainage and waste disposal or your project will be stalled until you comply with the standard practice. The era of piping waste to drainage by developers is gone. Any developer who contravenes any standard will be arrested and prosecuted if he fails to remedy the contravene within the period allowed. We are not against any developer but to ensure that buildings are safe, fit and habitable.

    “We don’t want to hear of buildings collapsing and killing people. If you lose a property,you know how many millions of money that will be involved and you also know the state of the economy. GADA has come to improve the old method of buildings without standard. We have digitalized our operations. You can ascertain the status of your project, no matter your location. And if we ask you to stop work on your project, you can easily check our platforms and find out the reason.

    “We are also working with environmental health officials to arrest and prosecute those those destroying our environment. We have already carried out adequate sensitization of residents about the need to protect the environment.”

  • Why I’m still operating from my private residence – Gov Otti

    Why I’m still operating from my private residence – Gov Otti

    UMUAHIA- Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti , has said that delivering quality infrastructure to the people of the state is more important than where he resides and operates from, as Governor.

    Otti, who disclosed this while speaking during the monthly media chat tagged, Governor Otti Speaks to Abians, insisted that his priority remains the delivery of results to the people of the state, and not where he operates from.

    He explained that the delay from moving into the Government House,Umuahia, was based on careful allocation of resources and assured the people of the State that the Government House,Umuahia, would be fixed soon, not just for his administration but for future Governors.

    He said; “You are worried that I am not operating from here. I don’t think you should worry about that. The important thing is that I’m operating.

    “Abians want to see activities, not where the Governor is operating from. Where I live is not as important as having good roads in Aba and Umuahia and other Local Government Areas in the State.

    “It is not as important as ensuring that Aba and Umuahia,particularly, are kept clean on a 24-hour, seven days basis. It is not as important as ensuring that our people have good hospitals and accessible schools to go to.

    “It is not as important as ensuring that our schools are fixed. Those were the areas I declared state of emergency on. I didn’t declare emergency on Government House and where the Governor will live.

    “So, what the issue is, is that this Government House is important but not as important as some of the things that I mentioned earlier.

    “When I inspected both the Governor’s Lodge and the Governor’s Office, they were in terrible states of disrepair and vandalism.

    “Renovating them requires significant funds, but I considered it more urgent to channel those resources into infrastructure, security, health, environment and education.

    “I can assure you that in no distant time, since we are taking care of those important areas, we will come here and the Government House.

    “We don’t have time. We are in a hurry. So, we have to do so many things at the same time.

    “Before you know it, the four years is over and you will be wondering what happened.”

  • Why I’m advancing solar energy research – Nigerian scientist, Michael Uzu

    Why I’m advancing solar energy research – Nigerian scientist, Michael Uzu

    ABUJA – Nigerian-born scientist Michael Uzu has made significant strides in renewable energy and materials engineering through his work on titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a crucial material utilised in solar energy, batteries, and electronics.

    Uzu’s research aims to enhance the way TiO₂ absorbs light and separates charges, potentially leading to more efficient energy solutions.

    In a terse statement issued to journalists in Abuja, he highlighted the importance of this research.

    He stated, “Understanding these photophysical processes at a fundamental level enables us to design and optimise material performance for batteries, sustainable energy, and advanced electronics.

    “My goal is to enhance visibility in research and development by ensuring that cutting-edge research translates into real-world impact. Science isn’t just about discovery—it’s about innovation that drives change and empowers communities.”

    In a study published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry, Uzu, who is pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at the University of Delaware, investigated how modifications to TiO₂ surfaces can enhance its performance in energy applications.

  • DHQ questions credibility of global terrorism index

    DHQ questions credibility of global terrorism index

    The Defence Headquarters has stated that reports from the Nigerian military provide a more accurate account of counter-terrorism efforts in the country than those from external sources.

    The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, stated this on Thursday while fielding questions on the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, which was released on March 5.

    The index ranked Nigeria sixth globally, with a score of 7.658, moving up from eighth place in 2023 and 2024. It also recorded 565 terrorism-related deaths in Nigeria in 2024.

    Using a family analogy, Kangye argued that information from the family head should be deemed more credible than reports from outsiders.

    “Something is happening in my house. I am the head of the house. I have children, I have a wife, and then Kuma Shi (someone else) is reporting what is happening in my house to me. Which one would be more correct? The one I tell you as the head of the house or the one Kuma Shi is reporting from outside?” he asked.

    He urged the media to verify and correct any misleading narratives about Nigeria’s security situation, adding, “I’m not countering what they put out there, but as observers, you should be the ones to give the correct version of what is happening in Nigeria.”

    On the sit-at-home order in the South East, Kangye noted that fear still keeps many residents indoors on Mondays.

    He, however, reassured that the military is actively working to restore normalcy and rid the region of IPOB/ESN fighters.

    “Who gave the order? IPOB/ESN criminals. Because of what was happening in the South East, Operation Udo Ka was set up—just like Operation Hadin Kai in the North East.

    “The past three commanders in the region have been doing very well. They continue to encourage people to go about their normal business, but in some areas, locals stay home out of fear of being attacked. The commanders are working hard to free the South East from IPOB/ESN influence,” he said.

  • I set up Facebook, Instagram account to learn internet fraud – Portable

    I set up Facebook, Instagram account to learn internet fraud – Portable

    Singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has revealed that he originally created his Instagram and Facebook accounts in an attempt to learn internet fraud, commonly known as Yahoo Yahoo.

    In a viral video that began trending on Tuesday, Portable was seen conversing with content creator Egungun of Lagos during a car ride. When asked about the unusual name on his Instagram profile, ‘Elizabeth Joyce,’ the singer admitted that the account was initially set up for fraudulent activities.

    “Make I no lie for you, e get one Facebook and Instagram account wey be say that time I wan learn Yahoo (internet fraud),” Portable confessed in Pidgin English.

    He explained that when he gained fame, he edited the account to remove any incriminating details. “Yahoo no gree, Na hin I just open that account down, as I con hear say them dey look for me say I don blow, na hin I come go edit am, delete oyinbo commot, Na working account,” he added.

    Portable gained widespread recognition in December 2021 with his hit song ‘Zazoo Zeh,‘ featuring Olamide and Poco Lee. However, his career has been marked by frequent controversies.

    Earlier this year, he clashed with Ogun State authorities, leading to his arrest and arraignment on a five-count charge, including assault. Officials accused the singer of leading a violent attack against government agents attempting to seal his bar over permit violations.

    Declared wanted on February 18, Portable later surrendered to the police and was granted bail set at N2 million. His case was adjourned until March 5.

  • I slept in Dangote cement factory on Natasha’s wedding day  – Akpabio

    I slept in Dangote cement factory on Natasha’s wedding day – Akpabio

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio has claimed that he slept inside the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana Kogi State on the wedding day of the Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    Akpabio, a former Minister of the Niger Delta, stated this on Thursday during plenary at the National Assembly.

    Akpabio described Natasha’s husband as his good friend, stressing that his attendance at their wedding signifies his closeness to the family.

    He said, “ I slept in the 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.

    TodayPriceNG Online reports that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions had recommended the suspension of the Kogi lawmaker for six months.

    Senate President Godswill Akpabio has claimed that he slept inside the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana Kogi State on the wedding day of the Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    Akpabio, a former Minister of the Niger Delta, stated this on Thursday during plenary at the National Assembly.

    Akpabio described Natasha’s husband as his good friend, stressing that his attendance at their wedding signifies his closeness to the family.

    He said, “ I slept in the 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.

    PUNCH Online reports that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions had recommended the suspension of the Kogi lawmaker for six months.