QuickRead: Senate suspends Akpoti-Uduaghan. Four other stories we tracked and why they matter

The Senate last week suspended the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for six months for violation of its rules.

The same week, the embattled speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, returned to the seat weeks after his impeachment by lawmakers.

These and three other stories we tracked dominated public discourse in the country during the period.

1. Senate suspends Akpoti-Uduaghan

On March 6, the Red Chamber suspended the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the 2019 election for violation of its rules.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension followed her dispute with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, whom she accused of sexual harassment.

Akpabio, who has denied the claim, read out the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, which probed the allegation.

He said: “That the Senate do suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for her total violation of the Senate Standing Rules (2023 as amended for bringing the presiding officer and the entire Nigerian Senate to public opprobrium.”

Why it matters

The suspension of the lawmaker despite a court order restraining the Senate committee from proceeding with the investigation points to the disregard of court rulings by powerful figures in Nigeria.

While Akpoti-Uduaghan may have erred going by her conduct inside the hallowed chamber of the National Assembly, the Senate played into her hands by blatantly violating judicial proceedings with its suspension of the lawmaker.

The Senators, as the peoples’ representatives, must always uphold the rule of law and guard against actions that could undermine their positions in society.

2. Obasa returns as Lagos Assembly speaker

The Lagos State House of Assembly, on March 3, reinstated Mudashiru Obasa as its speaker.

This followed the resignation of Mojisola Meranda from the position.

The 50-year-old Obasa was impeached by members of the House for alleged gross misconduct on January 13.

In his remark after his reinstatement, the speaker thanked his colleagues and stressed the need for unity in the House.

He said: “We want to assure Lagosians that we have resolved and determined to serve their interest and protect their interest always.

“Our major responsibility is to represent them and that’s what we have been doing.

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“What is happening here today shows that the Lagos State House of Assembly is capable and is a House of integrity. It is a house that has an internal mechanism to resolve issues in the interest of the institution and our party.”

Why it matters

The controversy that trailed the impeachment reflected the broader struggles for influence and control within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state government.

The drama raised questions about governance in the state and reinforced the need for the people to hold their leaders accountable or prevent them from using their positions for personal gains.

Suffice it to say that the plot could be an attempt by APC leaders to reposition the state’s politics ahead of the 2027 election and maintain their grip on the party structure by replacing Obasa with a more flexible figure.

3. Jandor quits PDP over internal strife

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2023 election in Lagos State, Dr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), on March 3 resigned from the party.

Adediran, who announced his resignation at his office in Ikeja, said he was leaving the PDP due to what he called betrayal by party elders.

He said: “I stand before you today with a heavy heart but a clear conscience. We have dedicated ourselves to the ideals of democracy, good governance, and the pursuit of a better Lagos.

“However, it has become evident that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, both at the state and national level, has failed to uphold these principles.”

Why it matters

Adediran’s exit from the PDP may have further diminished the PDP’s chances of wresting power from the APC in the 2027 election.

Frequent in-fighting among its leaders in Lagos and the emergence of the Labour Party in the last general election indicates that the party may never realize its dream of ruling the state it has coveted since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

4. EFCC grills ex-Gov Emmanuel for alleged N700bn fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on March 4, quizzed the former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, for alleged N700 billion fraud.

A group simply identified as Network against Corruption and Trafficking had, in a petition to the EFCC, alleged that the ex-governor received N3 trillion from the Federation Account in eight years but left a debt profile of N500 billion.

“He (Emmanuel) was detained after he honoured the commission’s invitation to defend himself on the allegations of funds diversion,” a source in EFCC told journalists.

Why it matters

The ex-governor’s invitation by the EFCC speaks to public officers’ penchant for breaching their oath of office, especially in managing public resources.

In a country mired in corruption, a more punitive approach is required to deter public servants and their cronies, who now see the looting of public funds as a way of life, from continuing their enterprise.

5. Anglican Church laments Nigeria’s worsening condition

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) on March 2 voiced deep concerns over the country’s escalating insecurity, economic hardship, and governance failures.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its recent Standing Committee Meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Church lamented that Nigeria has become a “land flowing with tears and blood” amid rising kidnappings and pervasive fear among citizens.

The communiqué read: “Nigeria is fast becoming a land flowing with tears and blood due to terror, devastation, and fear among the citizenry. Constant attacks in villages, cities, on roads, airports, railways, and waterways raise concerns about the government’s capacity to respond effectively.”

Why it matters

The Church‘s position is another wake-up call to the Nigerian government to find solutions to the country’s security challenges.

The mindless killing of innocent Nigerians by criminals across the country not only illustrates the abysmal failure of the country’s security architecture but reinforces the assertion that nowhere is safe in our land.

These unfortunate incidents have raised fears that the country is rapidly sliding into the class of a failed state unless the government comes up with an effective approach to check their threats, and fast too.

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