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Natasha: Senate breaks silence over court order; what she must do – Spokesperson

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Natasha drops another bombshell - 'Senate under Akpabio worst in Nigeria’s history'

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, has given conditions based on which the Red Chamber would reinstate suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Adaramodu who reacted to the ruling of a Federal High Court on the matter, made it clear that the Red Chamber would not immediately reinstate senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, until she apologises as directed by court.

Adaramodu said that the court judgment did not override the Senate’s constitutional powers to discipline its members.

In March, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over alleged gross misconduct, following her face-off with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over the sitting arrangement.

Tensions intensified when Akpoti-Uduaghan, on national television, accused Akpabio of punishing her for rejecting his alleged sexual advances.

The Peoples Democratic Party senator submitted a petition to the Senate, alleging that she was sexually harassed by Akpabio, an allegation the Senate President had since denied.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, challenged her suspension in court.

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Delivering her judgment on the matter, Justice Nyako faulted the provision of chapter eight of the Senate Standing Rules as well as Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.

The court stressed that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.

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Justice Nyako stated that while the Senate had the authority to discipline its members, such disciplinary actions must not strip citizens of representation in the National Assembly.

She noted that since the Senate was constitutionally required to sit for only 181 days in a legislative year, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s 180-day suspension amounted to denying the people of Kogi Central effective participation in national governance.

“The court is not saying that the Senate lacks the power to sanction a member. However, such sanctions must not negate the constitutional right of constituents to be represented in parliament,” Justice Nyako ruled.

The court, however, found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt over a satirical apology she posted on her Facebook page on April 27.

Justice Nyako held that after reviewing the post and the application before her instituted by the third respondent, she was satisfied that it was linked to the suspension matter before the court and therefore found the plaintiff guilty of contempt.

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The judge ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to publish an apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days. She also imposed a fine of N5million.

Responding to a question, Adaramodu said: “Which judgment are we appealing when they (court) said the Senate has the right to discipline its erring members?

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“The court has not ousted the Senate’s statutory right to punish any erring senator.

“It was established that the senator in question erred. The court has already told her to go and do some things, like restitution, so after the restitution, the Senate will now sit again and consider the content of that restitution, and that will inform our next line of action.”

According to Senator Adaramodu, the Senate would only reconvene to deliberate on the matter after Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had complied with the court’s directives.

“The onus is no more on us now; it is already on her doorstep to go and apologise. Once she does that, then the Senate will sit and determine how to deal with her matter.

“The first reaction now will not be from us. The court has ruled, so once she takes the step to redress and does what the court has directed her to do, then the Senate will sit and look at the content of her reaction as prescribed by the court,” he said.

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Addressing journalists after the judgment, the Counsel to the Senate, Paul Dauda, SAN, described the ruling as a partial victory for the Senate, particularly on the issue of civil contempt arising from social media posts made during the case.

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Dauda said: “The first application filed by the Senate, that no social media posts should have been made, was decided in our favour. The court directed that the satirical apology be taken down and that a proper apology be published in two national dailies. Additionally, damages of N5million were awarded to be paid to the court.”

On the substantive ruling regarding the suspension, Dauda noted that the Senate’s authority to discipline its members was not in dispute.

“It appears the court affirmed that the Senate, as an institution, has the right to discipline its members. While members are elected to represent constituencies, they are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the Senate’s standing rules,” he said.

He explained that the court did not order Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reinstatement but merely suggested that the Senate could consider recalling her.

“There was no relief asking for the suspension to be lifted. The judge only made what we call an obiter dictum, a non-binding remark, that the suspension may have been excessive. We will consult with our colleagues, read the full judgment, and respond accordingly,” he added.

 

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Fresh Prophecy Emerges For Tinubu Ahead 2027; Nnamdi Kanu’s Protest – This Is A Warning’

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'I'm optimistic' - Tinubu sends 2025 New Year message to enduring Nigerians [FULL TEXT]
A striking new prophecy has emerged, directly linked to credible reports of a conspiracy involving certain military personnel plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Residents are aware of the gravity of the situation, and the atmosphere is charged with caution and resolve as discussions about the future of the government intensify.
Although the Defence Headquarters has dismissed the reports, saying there was no coup-related detention or plan within the military. But according to Prophet Julius Okonkwo, a well-known cleric and the presiding pastor of Kingdom Seeker Ministries based in the United States, he issued a scary message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in what he described as a fresh warning.
Prophet Okonkwo said: “What saved Tinubu over coup rumour was his past Goodwill. This man is a special human being. God put him there; nobody can unseat him. I want the opposition to know this and everyone behind this coup, if it is true, Tinubu is coming back by 2027, mark it down. A coup cannot work in this country. God is angry with those who are behind it.
The prophet also issued a message for retired generals in the country to desist from any evil behaviour over Tinubu’s government. He said: ‘God will put some people to shame, some retired Generals need to seek forgiveness as soon as possible. Nigeria is on the path of peace and sanity; whoever wants to put this country in flames will sleep and never wake up.”
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, told Sunday PUNCH that the Armed Forces were unaware of any coup plot.
He also claimed that no new update had been issued since the earlier statement on the arrest of some officers.
The US-based cleric also issued a stern warning to the organisers of the Free Nnamdi Kanu protest, claiming that it is not the right approach to seek freedom for the IPOB leader.
“I am appealing to President Tinubu to consider the release of Nnamdi Kanu, for God’s sake. Those planning to stage a protest won’t succeed in their mission but rather cause a serious problem for the man in detention. This is a warning.”
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VIDEO: Popular Prophet Mentions 3 Tinubu’s Ministers Working With Coalition Ahead 2027 Polls

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Primate Ayodele: A priest or political analyst? His 7 prophecies that failed

Primate Elijah Ayodele, the leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has issued a compelling prophetic warning regarding three current ministers in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He confidently asserts that these ministers are poised to collaborate with the ADC coalition, a move he believes will substantially undermine the president’s political future.

In a recent prophetic broadcast on Facebook, Primate Ayodele stated that this betrayal within Tinubu’s cabinet would take many by surprise.

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2027 Election: Goodluck Jonathan Told What To Do Ahead Of Poll As Plots To Unseat Tinubu Deepens

According to him, the ministers are actively aligning themselves with an emerging opposition coalition, and their eventual actions will shake the foundation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Three of Tinubu’s ministers will be playing along with the coalition, and that will hit Tinubu,” Ayodele declared. He warned that the alignment was not mere speculation but a spiritual certainty, urging the presidency to tighten its internal political controls and assess the loyalty of those in top government positions.

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Ayodele criticized the rising insecurity and political manipulation within the country, urging Nigerians to pray and political leaders to refocus on good governance, not selfish ambitions. He stressed that internal betrayal from trusted allies is often more dangerous than external attacks.

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2027 Election: Goodluck Jonathan Told What To Do Ahead Of Poll As Plots To Unseat Tinubu Deepens

 

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Alleged Money Laundering: How I Paid $3 Million Into Aisha Achimugu’s Company’s Account – Witness

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Alleged Money Laundering: How I Paid $3 Million Into Aisha Achimugu’s Company’s Account - Witness

Trinity Usman, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) witness, on Friday, told the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, that he received and transferred three million dollars into Aisha Achimugu’s company account.

Mr Usman, the 2nd prosecution witness (PW-2), told Justice Emeka Nwite while being led in evidence by the EFCC’s lawyer, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN.

The PW-2, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator, spoke in the ongoing trial of Halima Buba, managing director of SunTrust Bank, and her co-defendant, Innocent Mbagwu, the executive director/chief compliance officer of the bank.

The duo are being prosecuted on money laundering offences to the tune of $12 million.

In a six-count charge, they were alleged to have aided high-value cash transactions without routing them through a financial institution.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 21(a), 2(1), and 9(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.

The defendants were, on June 13, arraigned by the anti-graft agency.

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They, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts, and admitted to a N100 million bail with one surety, each in like sum.

At the resumed trial, the witness said he was in court to tell what he knew about the transactions he did with Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd, owned by Mrs Achimugu.

Mr Usman, who said he was a businessman and general contractor, said he was also into agro allied and oil business.

He said he carried out the businesses with companies or registered names.

He said his companies include Triple A and Tee Service Venture, T.M. Agro Allied Farm, Triple A and D Oil and Gas Ltd, Triple A and Tee BDC Ltd, among others.

“Sometimes in April 2025, one Suleiman Ciroma contacted me that he had a transaction that he needed 3 million US dollars to (be transferred to) Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd.

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“In that particular time, I have the money being in my Triple A and Tee Oil and Gas Nig Ltd account.

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“After we agreed with him, Suleiman Ciroma gave me the dollar payment in cash.

“I paid him the dollars into Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Ltd account,” he said.

He said the payment was made in April 2025

“Can you remember the exact date you made the payment?” Iheanacho asked.

“I made the transfer in four tranches but I cannot remember the exact day,” the witness responded.

However, when the lawyer asked the witness if he knew Messrs Buba and Mbagwu, he said he did not know them.

“Take a look at the dock and tell the court if you know the defendants,” Mr Iheanacho asked and the witness simply said, “No.”

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Mr Usman told the court that he did the transactions with Triple A and Tee Oil Nig Ltd.

“It was from there I transferred the dollars into Oceangate Engineering Oil and Gas Ltd,” he said.

But when Mr Iheanacho asked the PW-2 if his BDC company, Triple A and Tee BDC Ltd, featured in the transaction, counsel for the 1st defendant (Buba), Johnson Usman, SAN, raised an objection.

The senior lawyer argued that Iheanacho’s question was a ploy to give the witness tips on what to say and the judge directed him to rephrase the question.

The witness said that the licence of Triple A and Tee BDC Ltd, as at the time of the transactions, had been suspended.

He said the cash transactions from Mt Ciroma were made through his staff.

He mentioned the names of the staff as Abdulkadir Mohammed and Kabir Haruna.

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The BDC operator also said that he equally did a naira to dollar transaction with Ciroma.

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“The naira was transferred into a Triple A and Tee Service Venture Ltd Bank account.

“The naira also was converted into dollars and I sent the equivalent into an Oceangate account,” he said.

However, during cross-examination by Mr Buba’s counsel, Mr Usman SAN, the witness was asked to confirm to court that Triple A and Tee BDC Ltd had been in operations till date and he responded in affirmative.

“After they suspended our licence, we proposed Triple A and Tee BDC Ltd to CBN last year and we have an approval in principle with CBN,” the witness responded.

“Ciroma Suleiman contacted you in these transactions because he knows you as BDC operator?” the lawyer asked and the PW-2 responded in affirmative.

When Mr Usman asked the witness that it was on the basis of that knowledge that the PW-2 sent his staff to collect the dollars from Mr Ciroma, Mr Iheanacho too objected to the question.

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The witness admitted that he did not tell the defendants before the transactions that his BDC license was suspended at any time.

He said his oil company account was used for the transactions because it was the account he had available dollars.

‘The choice of using your oil and gas company account to transfer the dollars to Oceangate was your own decision,” the lawyer asked and the witness responded in affirmative.

Counsel to the 2nd defendant (Mbagwu), M.S. Ibrahim, SAN, asked the witness if he made any profit from the transactions and he responded in affirmative.

“Did you tell the defendants whom you have never seeing or know before that you were going to make inflow payment from your oil and gas company’s account?” Ibrahim asked and the PW-2 said, “No.”

After the cross-examination, the witness was discharged and Ms Nwite adjourned the matter until Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 for continuation of trial.

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Earlier on Thursday during the cross-examination of Suleiman Ciroma, the owner of Funnacle BDC Ltd and the PW-I by Mr Usman, SAN, the witness said the reason Mrs Achimugu requested for the transfer of the money was that if she had deposited the money in cash in the bank, she would not be able to transfer same.

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Mr Ciroma said Trimizi Usman and Hassan Dantani, upon their representatives collecting the money, in turn, transferred the dollars equivalent “less their charges into a designated account provided by Aisha Achimugu.”

He agreed with Mr Usman’s question that in forex transaction, a transfer can only be made from an account where the money came by way of inflow and not by cash deposit.

When the lawyer asked Mr Ciroma that Mrs Achimugu needed the dollar transfer to purchase her two oil blocks, the PW-1 responded in affirmative.

The witness told the court that he is a member of BDC Traders Association Wuse Zone 4 in Abuja.

He said that was why when he made his statements to EFCC on April 14, April 11 and May 7, the executive members of the association were with him at the time.

Mr Ciroma, who agreed that he was duly cautioned before writing the extra-judicial statements, admitted that there was no part he informed the defendants, particularly Mr Buba, that his BDC licence had expired.

Also while being cross-examined by Mr Ibrahim, who appeared for the 2nd defendant, Mr Ciroma agreed that he had never seen Mr Mbagwu physically before.

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He also admitted that he had never produced any text or Whatsapp message between him and Mbagwu before the court before.

gazettengr.com

 

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Donald Trump: Why I Can’t Make It To Heaven

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Donald Trump: Why I Can't Make It To Heaven

President Donald Trump is once again referencing his wish to be “heaven-bound”

Speaking to press aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Oct. 12, the president, 79, answered a question about his August statements regarding his attempts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine — during which he said, “If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty — I want to try to get to heaven if possible.”

“I’m being a little cute,” Trump told reporters on Sunday about his previous comments, before quipping, “I don’t think there’s anything going to get me in heaven.”

“I really don’t. I think I’m not maybe heaven-bound. I may be in heaven right now as we fly on Air Force One,” he continued. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make heaven, but I’ve made life a lot better for a lot of people.”

Trump went on to tell the press that “had the election of 2020 not been rigged,” he could have prevented Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine.

“We had an incompetent administration. We had an incompetent president. And because of a crooked election, millions of people are dead,” Trump said, referring to former President Joe Biden. “And by the way, the Israeli thing was much harder to get settled because of the past administration.”

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During a phone interview with Fox & Friends on Aug. 19, the president gave a new explanation for taking action to end the war in Ukraine — including positioning himself as a mediator between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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“If I can save 7,000 people a week from being killed, I think that’s pretty — I want to try to get to heaven if possible,” Trump said at the time.

“I’m hearing that I’m not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole,” he added, to laughter from the Fox News hosts. “But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.”

Last month, Trump referenced his goal to “get into heaven” again when his campaign sent out emails asking for donations that read, “I want to try and get to Heaven.”

The recent emails — which reportedly began on Aug. 23 — requested supporters to donate $15 during a “24-HOUR TRUMP FUNDRAISING BLITZ” to the president, the Independent, Snopes and Newsweek reported. The new emails’ subject line includes, “I want to try and get to Heaven,” per the outlets.

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“Last year, I came millimeters from death when that bullet pierced through my skin. My triumphant return to the White House was never supposed to happen!” the email says in reference to the July 2024 assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pa.

“But I believe that God saved me for one reason: TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!,” the message says, according to the Independent. “I certainly wasn’t supposed to survive an assassin’s bullet, but by the grace of the almighty God, I did. SO NOW, I have no other choice but to answer the Call to Duty, but I can’t do it alone.”

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During a briefing that same day, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that she didn’t believe Trump was joking.

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“I think the president was serious,” she said. “I think the president wants to get to heaven — as I hope we all do in this room as well.”

Stock photo of airplanes taking off and landing at Laguardia airport in New York
Trump and Putin failed to reach a peace deal or agree to a ceasefire during their recent summit in Alaska on Aug. 15, despite Trump having vaguely threatened “very severe consequences” if Russia didn’t comply.

Days after his meeting with Putin, Trump changed his tune, telling Zelenskyy and other European leaders that he didn’t think a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was necessary or even realistic while larger peace negotiations are underway.

The president admitted to the difficulty of negotiating with Putin during his remarks at the Kennedy Center on Aug. 13.

“I’ve had a lot of good conversations with [Putin]. Then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home or a rocket hit an apartment building and people are laying dead in the streets,” Trump said.

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President Impeached For Failing to Reduce Crime

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President Impeached For Failing to Reduce Crime

Peruvian lawmakers have taken decisive action by voting to remove President Dina Boluarte from office following widespread public dissatisfaction with the country’s escalating crime rates and ongoing political scandals.

In a late-night session held in Lima, Congress reached a majority decision to impeach the president, citing “permanent moral incapacity” as the basis for their decision. Out of the 130 members of Congress, 118 voted in favor of the motion, effectively determining Boluarte’s political fate after she declined to appear before lawmakers to present her defense.

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Congress leader José Jerí immediately announced, “The president’s impeachment has been approved,” before taking the oath as interim president. He will oversee the country until new elections scheduled for April 2026.

Boluarte’s presidency, which began in December 2022, has been dogged by protests, corruption allegations, and surging gang violence. Her failure to reduce crime including rising cases of extortion and murder linked to organised groups, sparked widespread frustration among Peruvians.

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She had already survived several impeachment attempts before Friday’s vote. This latest one followed weeks of demonstrations against a controversial pension reform law and outrage over reports that she accepted luxury watches and jewellery, a scandal widely known as “Rolexgate.”

Boluarte also drew criticism earlier this year for awarding herself a significant pay rise, even as unemployment and inflation worsened across the country.

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As of the time of this press report, former President Boluarte remained silent on her removal, while security forces increased patrols around government buildings amid fears of renewed protests.

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‘Stop Dancing Around’: Makinde Tutors Minister Umahi How To Calculates Cost of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

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'Stop Dancing Around': Makinde Tutors Minister Umahi How To Calculates Cost of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has criticised the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, accusing him of evading questions about the cost of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project approved by President Bola Tinubu, Politics Nigeria.

Makinde, who spoke on Friday, was reacting to Umahi’s heated exchange with Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni earlier in the week, during which the minister declined to provide a cost breakdown of the project on a per-kilometre basis.

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Oseni had asked Umahi to explain the project’s cost per kilometre, a question the minister dismissed as “elementary,” insisting that the prices vary along different sections of the road and that the journalist lacked the technical knowledge to understand the process.

Umahi said, “Keep quiet and stop saying what you don’t know. I’m a professor in this field… The prices are different. The next kilometre is different from the next kilometre.”

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Governor Makinde, however, defended the journalist, saying Umahi’s evasiveness was unnecessary.

“They asked a minister how much the coastal road is, and then you’re dancing around, saying the next kilometre is different from the next. Then what is the average cost?” Makinde said.

He compared the coastal project to road works executed under his administration, providing clear figures.

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“When we did the Oyo to Iseyin road, it was about ₦9.99 billion for roughly 35 kilometres, an average of ₦238 million per kilometre.

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“For the Iseyin to Ogbomoso road, 76 kilometres cost ₦43 billion, about ₦500 million per kilometre. And that included two bridges,” the governor explained.

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