Category Nigeria News

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), West Idahosa, has faulted the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, by the Senate despite a court order restraining the red chambers from meting out any sanction to the lawmaker.

Idahosa, who represented Ovia South-West/Ovia North-East Federal Constituency from 1999 to 2007, said the disobedience to court orders under Senate President Godswill Akpabio was damaging.

“The most damaging is the blazing disobedience to court order. It is very untenable for a law-making body”, he said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday hours after the upper legislative arm slammed a six-month suspension for violation of Senate rules.

]READ ALSO] Natasha’s Suspension: Ezekwesili Accuses Senate Of Abuse Of Power

Idahosa said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker was not given a fair hearing and that her suspension was pre-determined by the senators.

He said, “A few days ago, a court order was served on the Senate of Nigeria and the committee in charge of ethics. They got the substituted order to serve on the Senate through the Clerk. This was done.

” In spite, you then sit down and rush a committee report and then the person is accused and likely to suffer from the suspension order was not even present.

“There was no fairing in line with the provisions of the Constitution, Section 36, you disobeyed flagrantly a court order. and then you turn around to say the judiciary should improve when we are ones by this behaviour undermining judicial institutions in this country.

” If I were the judge and the appropriate applications were made before me, I would go very far. “

The protracted feud between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan reached a climax on Thursday, March 6, 2025, when the Senate wielded the big stick and suspended the Kogi Central Senator who accused the senate president of sexual harassment and abuse of office after a seat arrangement conflict on February 20, 2025.

Akpabio denied the sexual harassment allegations against him by the Kogi lawmaker.

The female senator also slammed a N100bn alleged defamation suit on him while the Akpabio-led upper legislative chamber has referred her to the Senate disciplinary committee.

The Kogi lawmaker subsequently approached a Federal High Court in Abuja and got an order restraining the Senate committee from conducting disciplinary proceedings against the female senator with the case adjourned to March 10, 2025.

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Senate committee dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment and abuse of office petition against the senate president, declaring it” dead on arrival “based on procedural violations and legal constraints but the female senator re-submitted the petition on Thursday.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday quizzed the immediate-past Minister for Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, for her alleged roles in the misappropriation, violation of procurement process and diversion of public funds of ₦138.4m in the course of disbursing the 2023 budgeted funds for the Ministry.

According to authoritative sources, the ex-minister arrived at the Commission’s headquarters around 11am on Thursday and faced interrogators on her alleged involvement in the fraud.

The sources claimed that investigations by the EFCC showed that funds donated for the funding of P- Bat Cares for Women Initiative were diverted for her self-enrichment.

She reportedly has not been admitted to administrative bail, as the sources added that investigations are still ongoing.

Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye was one of the ministers President Bola Tinubu relieved of their duties in October 2024.

A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of an Independent Authority for the registration, regulation, and funding of political parties in Nigeria has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill seeks to establish a dispute tribunal and regulate the funding of political parties as well as utilisation of the funds.

The bill, which was sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, and another lawmaker, Marcus Onobun, further seeks to ensure transparency and a stable democracy.

READ ALSO: Rivers Assembly Summons Electoral Chief Over LG Poll

At the moment, there are 19 registered political parties in Nigeria. The roles to be performed by the new independent authority are currently the responsibilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal, Abuja, has adjourned the alleged money laundering instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to March 7, for continuation of trial.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), called its witness on subpoena, Williams Abimbola.

Abimbola, a Compliant Officer with the United Bank for Africa Plc, confirmed to the court that a further subpoena was served on the bank.

Justice Emeka Nwite admitted the subpoena and marked it ‘ Exhibit 7’.

The suboeana, according to the prosecution, requested the production of the statement of account of one Maselina Njoku, from 1st January, 2019 to 31st December, 2020.

The witness confirmed that it was a request from the bank and added that a certificate of compliance was also issued.

The witness confirmed 10 withdrawals in favour of Abdulsalam Hudu, in the sum of N10 million each on December 12, 2018. She said the withdrawals were done with cheques and presented across the counter.

READ ALSO: CBN Asks Court To Dismiss EFCC’s Forfeiture Bid Against N2.7bn Collateral Property

The witness, however, confirmed, during cross-examination, that the former governor’s name did not feature in the opening and management of the said Kogi Government House Bank account.

She also noted that she was not the accounts officer of the Kogi Government House account and that the account is domiciled in Lokoja, Kogi State, and not Area 3, Abuja, where she works.

Under cross-examination, the Defence Counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), asked the witness if as a compliance officer, her duty involved protecting the integrity of the bank from a legal penalty, reputational damage and financial loss. She responded in positive.

The witness was also asked to name the three signatories on the account, which she did.

For Yakubu Ismail, who was Permanent Secretary, she said, “We only have his picture on this form”.

Daudu asked, “Now, in both the account opening documents and the statement of account from E1 to E72, does the name ‘ Yahaya Bello ‘ appear anywhere”? The witness responded in the negative

The Defendant’s lawyer again asked, “Please look at Exhibit 2P1-3P62. Does the name ‘ Yahaya Bello ‘ appear anywhere in the document”? The witness further replied in the negative.

The defence counsel thereafter closed his cross-examination.

The EFCC Counsel, moved to re-examine the witness, a move which Daudu, objected but the judge allowed him after a brief argument.

Pinheiro then asked the witness if she was familiar with the signature on the document.

She said she signed on behalf of one Edward Bananga.

But the Defendant’s Counsel again objected and moved to cross-examine the witness.

“My Lord, the witness initially disowned the signature, but under re-examination, the prosecution led her to admit it. Therefore, I have the right to challenge that admission and prove that her claim regarding the signature is incorrect”, he said.

“Cross-examination is meant to prove the accuracy or veracity of the witness. I am entitled to disprove what she said. This is in the interest of justice”, Daudu SAN added.

He then asked the witness to read the document.

Reading from the document, she said, “I Edward Bananga hereby certifiy and confirmed that……”

‘ I put it to you that You are not Edward Bananga, “the Defendant’s Counsel said.

” I am not Edward Bananga, my lord, “the witness answered.

Another witness, Nicholas Ohehomon, from the American International School, was presented by the prosecution.

The exhibits tendered included the school’s statements of account, admission letters of the children of the defendant and payment receipts. The witness confirmed the different classes the children were admitted into.

Exhibit 12P was also tendered, which was a contractual agreement for post-paid school fees for the children.

The Prosecution presented a letter from the EFCC to AIS, Abuja, through the Registrar. It was marked Exhibit 18 and an account provided by the EFCC for a refund.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged the Federal High Court Abuja to dismiss a forfeiture case brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against a N2.7 billion property (located at Plot 781, Cadastral Zone 001, Karmo District) used as collateral to secure a loan from the apex bank through the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

Counsel for the CBN, Joseph Abah, told the court that the apex bank had filed court documents seeking to join the EFCC case and argue for its outright dismissal through its proposed counter-affidavit and written address to show cause.

The legal dispute arose after the EFCC, on August 8, 2024, filed an originating motion ex parte requesting the court’s approval for the interim attachment/forfeiture of Plot 781, Cadastral Zone 001, Karmo District, Abuja.

The EFCC legal team also sought a court order authorizing the anti-graft agency to appoint a competent person or firm to manage the asset temporarily forfeited to the federal government pending the conclusion of investigations and possible prosecution of Toks Properties Limited.

READ ALSO: Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Another $1.4m ‘ Linked ‘ To Emefiele

Justice Emeka Nwite had, on September 3, 2024, granted the EFCC’s request while prohibiting any disposal, lease, sale, or mortgage of the property in line with the agency’s application.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, the CBN lawyer and another lawyer representing Salis Ventilated Homes Limited stated that they had separately filed applications to join as parties (defendants) in the EFCC forfeiture case.

In the CBN’s court filings, the apex bank argued that it is responsible for the monitoring and regulation of banks and all banking activities in Nigeria.

The CBN legal team, including Abah, stated that sometime in 2020, the CBN, through NIRSAL under its Anchor Borrowers ‘ Programme (ABP), granted a loan of N3, 872, 882, 250.00 to Sadolen Interworld Limited to finance rice production.

According to the CBN, the loan had a tenor of 12 months and was secured by a third-party collateral belonging to Messrs Toks Properties Limited, which served as surety for the loan transaction.

“The said collateral (property), which is located in the Karmo District of the Federal Capital Territory, is valued at N2.7 billion”, the CBN stated.

The apex bank added that during the loan transaction, the surety executed a Deed of Legal Mortgage in favor of the CBN through NIRSAL, and the original title document of the collateral was deposited and handed over to NIRSAL.

Additionally, the CBN explained that the surety executed an undertaking not to alienate, sell, or transfer the property without the prior written approval of the CBN through NIRSAL.

The apex bank stressed that “the loan sum has not been discharged, and the subject property remains the security for the mortgage”, maintaining that the CBN has an equitable interest in the property.

The bank, therefore, asked the court to allow it to join the case as a defendant so it could present its arguments through its proposed counter-affidavit and affidavit to show cause.

The CBN further submitted, through its affidavit to show cause, that the court cannot grant a forfeiture order over the property, as doing so would prejudice the legal and equitable rights of the CBN, which retained the right to hold the property until the loan is fully discharged.

“We urge the Honourable Court to resolve the sole issue in favour of the respondent (CBN), set aside the interim forfeiture order, and dismiss the instant suit (by the EFCC) for want of jurisdiction”, the CBN stated in its court filings.

Justice Emeka Nwite asked the CBN lawyer whether he had served the EFCC legal team with the court processes, to which Abah responded in the affirmative.

The EFCC legal team informed the judge that they had received the CBN’s documents that day and would need time to file a formal response.

The EFCC maintained that the anti-graft agency merely sought to preserve the property pending the outcome of its financial crimes investigation against the parties involved.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan described her Red Chambers suspension as “an injustice that will not be tolerated.” &nbsp,

Following her allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker received a six-month suspension on Thursday after the Senate disciplinary committee found her guilty.

However, a furious Senator, Natasha, reproached her for her suspension and vowed to carry on the fight.

The Kogi Central Senator remarked, “This injustice would not endure.”