News
Niger Delta Youths protest with Akpabio’s ‘coffin’ tell Buhari to sack him as Minister
Niger Delta Youths operating under the aegis of ‘The South South Youth Initiative’ on Wednesday besieged the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja protesting against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The protester called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, saying he has been manipulating the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by not allowing the management board to be constituted.
The youths who came out in their numbers were seen by our correspondent displaying ‘wooden made coffin’, saying death to Godswill Akpabio for shortchanging the people of Niger Delta region.
According to them,Akpabio has been deceiving President Buhari, while they also lamented that Mr. President has allowed himself to be deceived by the Minister for so long.
Speaking to CAPITAL POST at the venue of the protest, the National President of the group, Com. Imeabe Saviour Oscar, among other sins of Godswill Akpabio, accused him to always coming to office at nights for surreptitious reasons, a situation he would not make himself available to attend to people from the region.
He said: “My name is Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar, National President of The South South Youth Initiative and I want to believe that even you, you are not happy about what is happening in country.
“We are not happy about what is happening in the Niger Delta; we have a formation, we have a board which is Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The Commission was supposed to reduce youth restiveness on the streets. It was supposed to give back to the Niger Delta what they are giving to the Federal government. It was expected to rehabilitate the people of Niger Delta as an oil rich region.
“Unfortunately, what we are seeing is the the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio has decided to deceive President Muhammadu Buhari and Mr President has allowed himself to be deceived by some of his cabinet members including Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“The President, we believe; the President we trusted has decided to listen to people with selfish interest.
“We want Akpabio to be sacked; we want Akpabio to honourably resigned or get sacked because he has failed as a Minister of Niger Delta.
“As we speak, Akpabio is advising Mr President to merge NDDC with other agency. As we speak, other three States want to join NDDC meanwhile, they are not producing oil. As we speak, the Minister for Niger Delta does not come to work during day time, which Minister comes to work at night? Which Minister that’s responsible comes to work during midnight.
The group further accused the Minister of covering erring contractors as revealed by the forensic audit, insisting that those people should be exposed.
“It’s unfortunate that after the forensic has been concluded, those found culpable have not been exposes, but been shielded. We are expecting that those who defrauded the NDDC be exposed. Unfortunately, they have decided to cover them up, they have decided not to do anything.
“I must tell you that the entire forensic audit exercise was a waste of effort. The exercise was meant to delay and waste the people of Niger Delta by plunging them into abject poverty because the money used to carry out the exercise would have been injected into the economy of Niger Delta.
“The money that was used to audit NDDC was enough to take care of the people of Niger Delta, unfortunately, Godswill Akpabio would not allow the investigative report to fly.
“Contractors who collected NDDC funds, but failed to execute projects should be exposed. That’s the problem we are talking about. They should be exposed.
“The Minister should step aside for Mr President for the board and remove Mr Effiong Akwa because in the Act that established NDDC, there’s no provision for the Sole Administrator.
“As we speak, the Sole Administrator is against the Act that established NDDC. The Sole Administrator has been in office close to two years now illegally, but backed by Akpabio.
The youth accused Akpabio of employing over 1000 persons from Akwa Ibom, his home state without recourse to other States that made up the region and the Federal Character principle.
“We want NDDC to serve the purpose for which it was meant for and not to be used for political reasons or gains. We want NDDC to deliver dividends of democracy because we are suffering.
“We are youths and we don’t have jobs and there is a space there where we can work and the Minister has employed over 1000 persons from Akwa Ibom, while we have other States that make up the Niger Delta.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, has commended his principal for assenting to South West and South – South Development Commissions Bills as well as the Nigeria Anti – Doping Bill 2025.
Senator Lado who made the commendation in a personally signed statement, described presidential assets to the bills as monumental milestone and testament to visionary leadership and national progress.
The statement reads: “I extend my warmest congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for yet another historic achievement his decisive and visionary assent to the South-West Development Commission Bill, the South-South Development Commission Bill, and the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025.
“These landmark legislations are a clear reflection of President Tinubu’s relentless commitment to inclusive governance, equitable progress, and Nigeria’s emergence as a global powerhouse.
“His Excellency has once again demonstrated that leadership is not merely about policies—it is about impact, legacy, and a deep-rooted dedication to uplifting every citizen.
“By signing into law the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commissions, President Tinubu has reaffirmed his role as a transformational leader who prioritizes regional empowerment, economic expansion, and infrastructural excellence.
Building on the foundation of his earlier assent to the South-East and North -West Development Commissions, it is evident that President Tinubu is deliberate in bringing development across all regions.
“These commissions will serve as catalysts for industrial growth, job creation, and social advancement—ensuring that every corner of Nigeria benefits from his administration’s progressive vision. This is the mark of a true statesman—one who understands that a nation’s strength lies in its ability to uplift all regions without bias.
“In the same vein, the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025 is yet another bold step that solidifies Nigeria’s commitment to fairness, excellence, and integrity in global sports.
“President Tinubu has once again positioned Nigeria as a nation of high ethical standards, ensuring that our athletes compete on the world stage with honor and credibility. By domesticating the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sports, his administration has safeguarded the future of Nigerian sports, protecting our athletes from unfair practices while reinforcing our global reputation as a country that upholds integrity.
“This momentous occasion underscores President Tinubu’s unmatched leadership—one that is proactive, decisive, and deeply attuned to the needs and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
His ability to enact groundbreaking policies that foster unity, drive economic prosperity, and elevate our international standing speaks volumes of his unwavering dedication to national transformation”.
News
BREAKING: Key contact details missing in petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has acknowledged receiving a petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District but noted that key contact details of the petitioners were missing.
In a press release signed by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission stated that the petition was submitted with six bags of documents containing signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district.
However, the covering letter only provided a general location, “Okene, Kogi State,” without a specific address or multiple contact numbers as required by INEC’s regulations.
INEC emphasized that the recall process is guided by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.
The commission assured that once the petition meets all requirements, it will proceed with verifying the signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open process involving petitioners, observers, and the media.
INEC is currently making efforts to reach the petitioners through other means and urged the public to disregard speculation on social media regarding the recall process.
News
Natasha’s case to be assigned to another Judge as Egwuatu recuse himself, citing Akpabio’s petition
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has recused himself from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case citing a petition by lawyers to Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The case bothered on suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Udughan from the Senate for six months, but a dramatic twist to it Justice Egwuatu who is presiding over the matter on Tuesday recused himself and ordered that the cas file be sent to the Chief Justice for reassignment.
The trial judge based his decision on a petition the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, wrote to challenge his objectivity in the matter.
Though the suit was originally fixed for hearing, however, when the matter was called up by the court’s clerk, Justice Egwuatu announced his decision in a short ruling he delivered.
He said the case-file would be returned to the Chief Judge for a reassignment to another judge.
It will be recalled that Justice Egwuatu had on March 4, issued an interim order that stopped the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from going ahead with the disciplinary proceeding that was initiated against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan over an allegation that she flouted rules of the legislative house.
He held that the disciplinary process should be placed on hold, pending the determination of the suit that was brought before him by the embattled female lawmaker.
More so, Justice Egwuatu gave defendants in the matter, 72 hours to show cause why it should not issue an order of interlocutory injunction to stop them from probing the plaintiff for alleged misconduct, without affording her the privileges stipulated in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
He granted permission for the plaintiff to serve the Originating Summons and all the accompanying processes on all the defendants, through substituted means.
It held that they should be served by handing the processes to the Clerk of the National Assembly or by pasting them on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing same in two national dailies.
The interim orders followed an ex-parte application and an affidavit of urgency that was brought before the court by the lawmaker.
However, despite the orders of the court, the Senate Committee held its sitting and slammed the plaintiff with a six months suspension.
Following an application by the defendants, Justice Egwuatu subsequently amended the interim order he issued in favour of the plaintiff, by vacating the aspect that barred the Senate from undertaking any activity within the pendency of the suit.
The Senate President had through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, queried the powers of the court to meddle in the affairs of the Senate.
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