‘Money illusion’, in Economics, refers to the tendency of people to confuse the nominal value of money (its face value) with its real value (its purchasing power). In other words, people tend to think that a certain amount of money has the same value over time, even if the purchasing power of the money has massively decreased due to inflation.

This ‘illusion’ has, without exception, afflicted Nigeria’s entire political leadership and the officialdom in the past two years or so. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu exceptionally ‘showcased’ this affliction the other day during a national caucus meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the state house, Abuja.

President Tinubu specifically told the state governors at the meeting that Federal allocations to their states have tripled under his administration. “If your state was receiving N40 billion before, you are now getting N120 billion,” the president said with aplomb. He ascribed the quantum increase in distributable funds among the three tiers of government (Federal, State, and Local) to ‘savings’ from fuel subsidy removal and other sources.

Tinubu went on to challenge the state governors to do more in their developmental strides in their various domains, since they now have more money in their hands. The President also urged the citizenry to refocus their expectations and requests to the sub-national governments, rather than piling up pressure only on the Federal Government.

No doubt, really, that the quantum of revenue shared by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) monthly among the three tiers of government has risen substantially (in nominal terms) under the Tinubu administration. Exactly ten years ago, in February 2015, FAAC shared only N500 billion among the three tiers of government; in February 2019, the sum of N660.37 billion was disbursed.

In March 2024, FAAC shared a total of N1.123 trillion, from a gross total revenue of N1.867 trillion. In December 2024, FAAC shared N1.424 trillion, from a gross total of N2.310 trillion, to the three tiers of government.

But as the distributable amount by FAAC was increasing, from hundreds of billions of naira as of 2015 and 2019 (as shown above) to trillions by 2024, inflation and exchange rates maintained a similar pattern. While the rate of inflation was at single digit level of 8.4 per cent in February 2015, by December 2024, it had hit 34.80 per cent—an almost five times rise in about ten years.

Similarly, while in February 2015, the naira to dollar exchange rate was N198/US$, by end-December 2024, the rate was N1,535/US$. This is about eight times crash in value of naira during the period. Even in the nearer term of May 2023, the average exchange rate of the naira per US dollar (in the official window) was about N460/US$, but deteriorated to N1535/US as of end-December 2024.

From another perspective, while the price of fuel (Premium Motor Spirit, PMS) was about N185/liter as of May 2023, by end-December 2024, the price was over N1000/liter—a jump of N815 per liter in just 20 months. So, what one could buy at less than N200 in 2023, by 2024, he has to pay over N1000 to buy the same item. Simple!

Again, in the first half of 2023, the price of a 50kg bag of cement (of various makes) was about N2000—N3000, but at present, the price hovers around N10,000. So have the prices of other building materials gone up. The same pattern applies to food items: rice, beans, onions, yam, maize, cocoyam, cassava, name it.

So, what is the worth of the trillions of naira being shared by FAAC? In the states, depending on the location, the developmental projects that could be executed with the few billions of naira a few years ago, can no longer be done with the hundreds of billions being received from FAAC today.

In real terms, therefore, all tiers of government in Nigeria have been getting poorer in the past 20 months. After all, the Nobel laureate in Economics, John Maynard Keynes says that the value of money is determined by what it can buy, rather than by any intrinsic value it may possess. Also, another renowned Economist, Milton Freidman says “The importance of the value of money is not the value itself, but the purchasing power it represents."

What purchasing power does the naira represent today? This is why the Organized Labor (Nigeria Labor Congress & Co.) got the short end of the stick, when they took the N70,000 minimum wage. No sooner they signed the deal with the Federal Government than they realized that they had shot themselves in the foot. Labor was focusing on nominal wage increases rather than real wage increases.

Seventy thousand naira is only worth what it can buy: not up to one 50kg of any brand of rice in any Nigerian market. Today, few months after the minimum wage deal, Labor has practically gone back to the trenches—fighting for more increases in (minimum) wage.

The ‘money illusion’ is also best illustrated in the fact that between 2024 and 2025, the Federal Government had to double its budget. While Nigeria’s total budget for 2024 was N27.5 trillion, the one for 2025 stands at N54.99 trillion. This doubling of the size of the budget just in a space of one year is unprecedented; it vividly shows how fast the purchasing power of the naira is crashing.

In 2022, Nigeria’s total budget was N17 trillion, and in 2023, it was N21.82 trillion—a modest difference of N3.82 trillion between the two years. But between 2024 and 2025, the figure doubled! This ‘ballooned’ figure gives the gullible public the impression of a good public finance outlook, and a false sense of comfort.

It goes without saying, however, that ‘money illusion’ exerts a number of negative effects on an economy, including the distorted impression of ‘abundance’ of money. It leads to poor financial decisions by all economic agents—as they cannot accurately take into account the effects of inflation on their money.

‘Money illusion’ leads to sub-optimal allocation of resources, as people invest in assets that appear to have high nominal returns but low real returns. Thus, even as the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Treasury Bills issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have been at (high) yields of 20-22 per cent, their real returns are negative. This is because the subsisting rate of inflation remains much higher.

At virtually all levels, many developmental initiatives have turned ‘white elephant projects’ or totally abandoned due to the crashing purchasing power of annual budgetary provisions year-in-year-out. Government officials merely move around bandying the humongous sums in billions and trillions that have been ‘spent’ on various projects.

Although there are several other factors that contribute to the abandonment of projects, the fast crashing real value of budgetary allocations remains critical. The hyperinflationary trend in Nigeria, triggered by fuel subsidy removal, and the full floatation of the naira which led to its sudden massive devaluation have combined to make projects planning and execution traumatic.

Distorted budget cycle, now entrenched by the Tinubu administration, has come to worsen the uncertainty created by ‘money illusion.’ Rather than having the annual budget run from January to December, the cycle has now also turned unpredictable under the current administration. This has resulted into several reviews of projects (with contract sums rising), and rolling them over through many (annual) budgets. And many of the projects are eventually abandoned!     

Beyond propaganda, however, does the Government really have so much money for its programs and activities? If the Government has so much money (as the trillions of naira shows), why is it going cap in hand, borrowing money from everywhere across the globe? Why is the Government imposing all manner of taxes, duties and levies on (mostly hitherto free) public goods, services and utilities?

As the purchasing power of the citizenry is fast crashing, courtesy of rising inflation, Government directly or through its agencies keeps hiking existing tax rates or imposing new ones. For instance, in the contentious tax bill before the National Assembly, the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate is being raised from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent. Being a consumption tax, hike in VAT rate automatically translates to ‘milking’ the consumer the more.

‘Money illusion’ has, in a way, led the CBN to construe the ravaging hyperinflationary trend in the country as a monetary phenomenon, where ‘too much money is chasing few goods’. Yet, the runaway inflation is more of a ‘cost push’ problem, because of the rising cost of all productive activities—including ‘imported components’ of such costs.

The apex bank believed there has been an excess of money in circulation, leading to increased demand for a ‘limited’ supply of goods and services. With this as a background, the CBN has been taking a tight monetary stance, including raising the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to highest level in recent years: from 18 per cent in June 2023 to 27.50 per cent at end-2024. An almost 10 per cent hike in 18 months.

The CBN also raised the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to ‘drain’ cash from the commercial banks, and weaken their credit creation capacity. But this, plus the high MPR, raised the cost of credit to private sector operators—and indeed, pushed loans beyond the reach of most businesses—especially the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Apparently ensconced in the so-much-money backdrop, the CBN has been issuing bonds and Treasury Bills at mouthwatering rates—attracting both local and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs)—all to the detriment of the real sector in the country. The FPIs, as ‘hot money’ have been flying in and out of the country at indeterminate paces, and sustaining the macroeconomic volatility.

Apart from the CBN, almost without exception, all other Federal Government agencies have continued to impose or hike charges for their services to the populace. And they are being celebrated for the trillions of naira they are raking in for the Government. Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), among others, have been exceeding their ‘revenue targets’—leaving the citizenry poorer.

These huge (unexpected) revenues from these agencies, as explained by President Tinubu, were what moved him to go back to the National Assembly for a top-up to the 2025 Appropriation Bill, as it was undergoing legislative consideration. This unusual step shows that Mr. President believes that the bigger the money budgeted, the more ‘successful’ the budget would be. And we ask: where are the impacts of the previous budgets?

By the same deduction, the so-called ‘more money’ in the hands of the state governors does not amount to much in real terms. So, rather than flaunting the ‘fat’ FAAC monthly allocations, the Federal Government should begin to address the root causes of the crashing purchasing power. Why has inflation been rising, and remained high even after the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

After rebasing, the CPI—which measures inflation rate—was brought down from end-2024 level of 34.80 per cent to 24.48 per cent in January 2025. The rebasing which amounted to a mere change in the methodology used by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), led to the ‘drop’ in the CPI value.

It will therefore be another type of illusion for the Federal Government to begin to celebrate the so-called drop in inflation rate. After all, the 24.48 per cent for January 2025 is far above the sub-Saharan Africa average of five per cent (‘Africa Pulse’ report) in 2024. And, in the advanced economies (UK and US, for instance), inflation rate is hardly above three per cent.

In dealing with the ‘money illusion’ challenge, therefore, the ball is squarely in the court of the Federal Government. This is because whatever is the state of the Nigerian economy today is largely policy-induced: mainly unintended upshots. So, let’s begin to get real!

• The author, Okeke, a practicing Economist, Business Strategist, Sustainability expert and ex-Chief Economist of Zenith Bank Plc, lives in Lekki, Lagos. He can be reached via: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.(08033075697) SMS only     

Doyin Okupe, a Nigerian politician and former presidential aide, has passed away.

He was aged 72.

According to sources close to the family, Doyin Okupe had been critically ill in the weeks leading up to his death.

His health had reportedly deteriorated significantly, causing concern among his loved ones and supporters.

More to come…

The Senate has pledged its commitment to ensuring 35% affirmative action for women in parliament and across governance processes.

Speaking at a three-day event held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day on Thursday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio reaffirmed the legislature’s dedication to gender equality.

He vowed to push for legislative reforms aimed at eliminating obstacles hindering women’s socio-economic and political progress.

The 2025 International Women’s Day was commemorated under the theme Economic and Political Inclusion: Walk the Talk to galvanize collective action and shared ownership in advancing gender parity in the country.

Affirmative action and legislative reforms 

According to Akpabio, this commitment aligns with the country’s National Gender Policy (NGP) and the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

He emphasized that lawmakers would work to remove all obstacles hindering women’s socio-economic progress and gender equality.

Call for constitutional amendments to support women 

Akpabio further explained: “We are discussing how women will have a solid stay not only in the National Assembly, but also in the country.  We will do all we can to promote gender equality in this country even if it means amending or tinkering with the 1999 Constitution. 

“Credible evidence has shown that women are better managers the world over. Sometimes, they can work harder than men. We must go back to where we have women in all spheres of life contributing to our collective progress and prosperity. 

“We must, also, decisively condemn all issues of sexual harassment that are not founded. At the 10th National Assembly, we will promote legislation that will ensure 35% affirmative action in the country,” the president of the senate assured women at the commemoration.

• Also, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s support for women’s empowerment, noting the increased budget for the Ministry of Women Affairs.

“We have made significant progress as women in this country, with women now excelling in various sectors,” she said.

• She urged women to continue working on initiatives that promote their progress and gender equality.
• In her welcome address, Ms. Tabitha Sallah, Director of Administration, Office of the Senate Leader, lauded the National Assembly for its pro-women legislations.
• She also called for swift action on the pending gender parity issues currently before both chambers.

The event was attended by the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, and the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele.

[Nairametrics]

The confrontation, which lasted for hours, was triggered when FAAN’s Director of Aviation Security Services, Afegbai Albert Igbafe, was overseeing the installation of Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) machines at the Ajantako Terminal around 2:30 PM.

How the Conflict Escalated

Customs officials, claiming they had not been informed about the equipment installation, reportedly locked the FAAN security director inside a shed.

In response, Igbafe called for reinforcements, prompting an armed FAAN security unit to arrive. The situation escalated further when Customs officers summoned reinforcements from their Ikeja barracks, creating a volatile standoff.

According to sources, Customs officials asserted control over the airport, a claim FAAN officials dismissed as “baseless”.

“The Nigerian Customs Service is merely a security agency; the airport and its operations are managed and controlled by FAAN,” a FAAN official told SaharaReporters.

The confrontation highlights a longstanding jurisdictional dispute between the two agencies, with FAAN repeatedly accusing Customs of disregarding aviation protocols.

One source emphasized that Customs’ frequent non-compliance not only disrupts airport operations but also compromises safety standards.

Adding to the tensions, Customs officials allegedly assaulted FAAN personnel who attempted to record the incident on their mobile devices. Witnesses described the attack as unprovoked and reflective of Customs’ disregard for aviation regulations.

History of Conflicts Between FAAN and Customs

This is not the first time such disputes have arisen between the two agencies:

• January 25, 2022 – FAAN and Customs clashed publicly on Twitter after FAAN accused Customs officers of forcefully accessing a restricted area at the airport.
• 2020 – Customs officials were accused of bypassing security checks to facilitate illegal cash smuggling through the tarmac. SaharaReporters previously exposed how Customs officers moved large sums of money through the airport without proper clearance.
• 2015 – Customs officers allegedly attempted to access the airport tarmac without proper accreditation and assaulted a FAAN security officer. The incident occurred while International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) officials were inspecting the airport.

NAHCO Sides with Customs Over ‘Inadequate Notification’

The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), which owns the NAHCO Shed, claimed that they were not informed about the installation of the ETD machines. NAHCO’s stance aligned with Customs’ claim, further justifying their actions.

“Today’s confrontation underscores the deteriorating relationship between the two agencies and raises urgent concerns about Customs’ respect for aviation protocols,” a source stated.

“These ongoing jurisdictional conflicts pose significant risks to public safety.”

[NaijaNews]

Football’s governing body FIFA will review a proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams to mark the centenary of the sport’s marquee event, it said on yesterday.

The 2030 World Cup will be held in Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, where the inaugural edition was staged, set to host three games.

The World Cup has already been expanded from 32 to 48 teams for next year’s edition in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

“A proposal to analyse a 64-team FIFA World Cup to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup in 2030 was spontaneously raised by a FIFA Council member in the ‘miscellaneous’ agenda item near the end of the FIFA Council meeting held on March 5 2025,” a FIFA spokesperson told Reuters.

“The idea was acknowledged as FIFA has a duty to analyse any proposal from one of its Council members.”

Earlier on Thursday, the New York Times said the proposal was made by Ignacio Alonso, a delegate from Uruguay.

[Leadership]

Fares for inter and intra-state transportations have remained high across the country despite the recent reduction in the price of petrol, checks by Daily Trust have shown.

The Dangote Petrol Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had reduced their prices.

In Lagos, a litre of petrol was reduced from N925 per litre to N860 at filling stations following the cut in the ex-depot price initially by Dangote. The NNPCL also cut its price to N860.  

With the reduction in petrol price and the much promoted Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) of the federal government, it was expected that there would be an impact on transport fares. However, checks by Daily Trust show otherwise.

Oil industry players say the reduction in the pump price is still not significant, and considering other variables, it will take a long time for Nigerians to feel the impact.

Muhammed Abdullahi, who works with one of the oil marketing companies in Abuja, said only NNPC stations and others affiliated with the Dangote refinery have significantly reduced their pump price.

“And these stations are only a fraction of the thousands of filling stations in the country who are selling at almost N1,000. I believe for Nigerians to feel the impact of the reduction, majority of the filling stations have to reduce their pump price,” he said.

Situation in states

In Kano State, after the removal of fuel subsidy, commercial transporters jerked-up transport fares to all destinations following the increase in the price of fuel.

Abubakar Adamu, who claimed to have been plying the Abuja – Kano route for over a decade, said Kano to Abuja transport fare was jerked up from N5,500 to N9,000.

He said the fare from Abuja to Kano skyrocketed between N13,000 to N15,000 depending on the number of passengers in the car.

But a visit to Na’ibawa Motor Park revealed that a few drivers had reduced the fare by N1,000 for Abuja-Kano trip.

However, at ‘Yan Kaba Motor Park, Kano to Damaturu in Yobe State was N6,000 and after the fuel subsidy removal, the fare was increased to N10,000. Usman Dauda, a commercial driver operating in the motor park, said: “Many commercial operators can only reduce the transport fares after buying their fuel, because filling stations sell based on their discretion as there is no static fuel pump price.  

“You may charge N9,000 from Kano to Damaturu and on your way back, you have to charge N10,000 to balance the gap, because you probably got the fuel at a higher cost than that of Kano.”

A commuter plying the Kano-Maiduguri route said transport operators might not reduce the transport fare “because the fuel price isn’t static.”

According to him, “It is unfortunate that commuters now have to travel with extra money because the fare can change at any moment,” he said.

In Borno, when our correspondent visited the Tashar Kano Motor Park in Maiduguri, the transport fare had not changed.

One of the drivers, Aisami Isa, said they did not notice much change in the price of petrol in most filling stations in Maiduguri.

“As it is now, the transport fare from Maiduguri to Kano is: Mercedes Benz, N20, 000; Sharon bus, N12,000 and Hummer bus N9, 000,” Isa said.

 The Administration Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport  Workers (NURTW) Borno State branch, Alhaji Gana Mohammad Shuwa, said with the reduction in the price of fuel, the union was anticipating good days ahead, but most filling stations in Maiduguri, particularly independent marketers, were still selling at N1,030 to N1,040 per litre.

“We only buy at a discounted price from NNPC stations and major marketers like MRS, and Matrix selling at N980 per litre”, he said.

Also in Abuja, transporters have refused to reduce fares despite the fuel price reduction.

Residents told Daily Trust that the high transport cost had also contributed to high cost of living.

The fare for Kubwa-Berger Roundabout was N1,000 as against the N500 less two years ago; while Tipper Garage at Dutse to Apo Bridge was N1, 200 as against the N600, a year ago.

Commuters who interacted with Daily Trust at Nyanya Bus Stop said fares to the city centre and Kubwa/Zuba had remained the same despite the slight reduction in fuel prices.

Bello Yakubu, an engineer, expressed concerns that while the price of fuel had reduced, fares had remained constant.

Commercial drivers also said the high cost of vehicle parts, especially tyres, as well as servicing, were responsible for the high cost of transportation in the FCT.

They said that it cost them between N15,000 to N18,000 to service a Volkswagen Golf car, adding that a fairly used tyre which was previously sold between N6,000 to N8, 000 is now N18,000 and N23,000.

Findings by Daily Trust also revealed that prior to the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government, transport fares from Zuba to Area 1 and Berger Roundabout in Abuja was N700 but since the removal of the subsidy, motorists had been charging between N1,300 and N1,500 per passenger.

In Lagos, findings also showed that despite the drastic reduction in the cost of petrol, the price of transport fare in Lagos remains unchanged.

Checks at some motor parks yesterday indicated that interstate fares remained on the high side. The fare for Lagos-Ilorin trip, which used to be N7,000, is still N13,000; while Lagos-Ibadan trip’s fare, which used to be N2,000, is N4,000 for buses and N6, 000 for cars.

Oladele Ismaila, a driver at Ojota motor parks said the reduction was insignificant. “How much was the reduction?” he asked, saying the fuel price at N860 is still on the high side.

A traveller in Kaduna, Hassan Adamu Hassan, said: “Just a few days ago, I travelled to Zaria and paid N1,700 instead of N1,300.”

Another passenger, who recently returned to Kaduna from Katsina, noted that the fare had slightly decreased from N7,500 to N6,000. However, he urged drivers to further reduce it to N4,000 in response to the lower fuel prices.

Benue/Kwara

At major motor parks in Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo in Benue State, commercial drivers complained that the petrol price reduction had not significantly impacted their operational costs.

Transporters at the Wurukum Motor Park in Makurdi said petrol still cost about N1,000 per litre.

Usha Iorbee, a commercial driver, plying the Makurdi–Abuja route, said, “The price at the pump is still high. Until we see a significant drop in the cost of fuel and spare parts, we cannot reduce fares. Most of us buy fuel at N995 per litre, and we are still struggling to break even.”

In Ilorin, checks by our reporter showed that many of the petrol stations were still selling between the range of N900 and N950 per liter except NNPCL Adewole which sold for N880.

A motorist, Mr. Sulyman Malik, said: “Which price was reduced? Today, NNPCL is selling at N970, MRS N945 and Bovas N955. I have not seen any station selling lower. And even if we agree that there is some downward adjustment, how does it reflect? If we buy 50 litres at N50,000, for instance, and because of the so-called drop, I got it at N49,500, what difference does that make?

A student, Zainab Abeke, said she spends N800 daily to and from Tanke to the University of Ilorin as against the N200 it was previously.

Plateau

In Jos, at the Farin Gada Motor Park, the management of the union expressed mixed reactions over the recent fuel price reduction. While acknowledging the decrease, they described it as minimal.

Isa Ibrahim Bela, State Organising Secretary and Vice Chairman of Farin Gada Motor Park, under the Road Transport Employer Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), stated, “We appreciate the reduction in fuel prices, although it’s not substantial.

“We had hoped for a more significant decrease. Nevertheless, we’ve reduced fares by N1, 000 for long-distance trips to Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, and other far-flung destinations. For shorter trips to Saminaka, Zaria, or Kaduna State, we’ve lowered fares by N500.” 

However, Muhammad Muhammad, a driver at the park, said the fuel price reduction was insignificant. He alleged that the government was attempting to instigate passengers against them.

Samson John, a passenger, traveling to Kano, welcomed the reduction. “I’m experiencing the change in transport fare first hand. I’m traveling to Kano now, and they’ve reduced the fare by N1, 000. We still urge the government to do more to reduce fuel prices.” 

However, Abduldayyanu Sabiu, who was traveling to Tudun Wada LGA in Kano State, reported no change in the fare.

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s no difference in the price. I’m paying the same amount I paid last week,” he said.

 [DailyTrust]

Elon Musk’s Mars rocket program recorded another setback on Thursday as SpaceX’s Starship exploded soon after take off.

The 400-foot Starship, powered by 33 Raptor engines, took off at 6:30 p.m. ET from SpaceX’s launchpad at its Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas.

The ship started to spin out of control about nine minutes into the air as its engines flamed out, and mission control lost contact.

SpaceX stopped the video feed of the launch, and explained that the mega rocket “experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly.”

In a post on X, the company said the data from the flight test will be reviewed to better understand the root cause.

“As always, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship’s reliability,” the post added.

Thursday’s incident was the second consecutive failed launch, occurring weeks after an explosion dispersed pieces of a Starship vehicle into the Atlantic.

[DailyPost]

The Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will challenge in court the six-month suspension slammed on her following her face-off with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seating arrangements in the red chamber.

The legal counsel to the Kogi lawmaker, Victor Giwa, dismissed the Senate resolution as a violation of a court order.

Giwa spoke with The PUNCH on Thursday after the Kogi lawmaker was suspended by the senate and walked out from the National Assembly complex.

The Nigerian Bar Association and opposition parties similarly berated the red chamber for not giving Akpoti-Uduaghan ample time to present her sexual harassment complaint against Akpabio.

“The suspension is void, it cannot even take any effect. The suspension is illegal because there is a court order that restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from taking further action.

‘’The committee disobeyed a valid court order that was served on them, making a mockery of the chamber that is supposed to uphold the law,” Giwa said.

He argued that if Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had not sought legal intervention, the suspension might have stood.

The lawyer also expressed conviction that with a court order explicitly directing the Senate to halt disciplinary actions, the decision to suspend her was null and void.

Giwa further revealed that legal action would be taken against those responsible for violating the court’s directive.

“We are going back to court. The case is coming up in about two weeks, and we will inform the court that despite being served, including the Senate President, they still acted in violation of the order by suspending the plaintiff,” he stated.

When asked if there were plans to escalate the matter to international organizations, Giwa said, “For now, we are handling it locally. But, of course, the world is watching. The Senate must adhere to international best practices, which dictate that once a case is in court, no further action should be taken on it.”

He highlighted that the Nigerian Constitution supersedes the Senate Standing Orders, stating that every citizen had the right to seek redress in court when their civil rights are breached.

“Section 6, subsection 6 of the Constitution grants every citizen the right to seek redress when their civil rights are violated. Senator Natasha has done exactly that. Her suspension is an attempt to silence her for alleging wrongdoing against the Senate President, which amounts to a breach of her right to a fair hearing,” he added.

The Senate imposed a six-month suspension on the lawmaker without pay over what it called the breach of its Standing Orders following her claim of sexual harassment, an allegation that Akpabio denied.

In an earlier interview with Arise Television on February 28, the Kogi senator, who made headlines the previous week after a public dispute with the Senate President over seating arrangements in the Senate, accused Akpabio of making sexual advances towards her.

Her sexual harassment complaint was referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review, which later recommended her suspension.

The resolution of the Senate followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the committee during plenary on Thursday.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South) presented the report on the floor of the red chamber.

The report, signed by all 14 members of the committee, offered seven recommendations against the Kogi Central senator.

The committee found her guilty of all allegations against her as she did not attend the investigative hearing to defend herself.

In its recommendations, it proposed that Akpoti-Uduaghan may have the six-month suspension reduced only if she tenders a formal apology to the Senate President for her outburst during last week’s plenary session.

As part of the suspension, the legislator’s salary and security details will be withdraw and her  office locked but her legislative aides would receive their remuneration throughout the period.

Meanwhile, the Senate rejected the Imasuen-led committee’s recommendation of an apology, saying such would only be entertained at the end of the six-month suspension.

The seven-point recommendations by Imasuen read, “One, that the Senate do suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for her total violation of Senate standing rules, bringing the presiding officer and the entire Senate to public opprobrium.

“Two, that for the Senate to consider lifting or reducing the duration of the suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan shall submit a written apology to the Senate before reconsideration.

‘’Three, that the Senate suspend Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan with effect from March 6, 2025, from all legislative activities.

“Four, that her office be locked up for the duration of her suspension and that she hands over all Senate properties in her possession to the Clerk of the National Assembly.

“Five, that for the duration of her suspension, she must not be seen within the vicinity of the Senate or the National Assembly, including her staff.

“Six, that her salaries and allowances, including those of her legislative aides, be suspended, and that all security details assigned to her be withdrawn for the period of her suspension.

“Seven, that during her suspension, she be barred from representing herself locally and internationally as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Whip, others commend panel

In his contribution, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Tahir Monguno; Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro; and Senators Jimoh Ibrahim, Sunday Karimi, Francis Fadahunsi, Mohammed Dandutse, Cyril Fasuyi, and Adams Oshiomhole commended the committee for a job well done.

This is just as they condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s disobedience of the Senate Rules, which in their opinion, brought the law-making body into disrepute.

They called for the enforcement of the sanctions, arguing that anything short of that would lay a dangerous precedent for the parliament.

On his part, Senator Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North) sought the protection of the aides of the embattled lawmaker as he called for the amendment of the prayer concerning them.

Kalu said, “We cannot punish the aides of Senator Natasha for an offence they did not commit. They are staff of the National Assembly and they have no other farm or means of livelihood apart from the salaries they earn from the Senate.

“As such, it would be wrong for us as a Senate to deny them and their families their salaries. I move that we should please amend that recommendation and allow them to earn their salaries.”

The Senate agreed with Kalu’s suggestion and saved the Kogi Senator’s aides from losing their salaries for six months.

In a debate featuring lawmakers elected on the platforms of different political parties, the Senate adopted all the recommendations, albeit with an amendment to prayer six, allowing the Kogi lawmaker’s aide to draw their salaries and allowances during the suspension period.

Effort by a former president of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, to stop the red chamber from withdrawing the security aides of the suspended senator failed as the Senate President rejected it.

After the adoption of the report, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan briefly interrupted the proceedings.

She said, “This injustice against me will not be sustained. I will fight against it.”

The Kogi politician was, thereafter, escorted out of the chamber by the Sergeant-At-Arms personnel in the chamber.

She rebuffed efforts by journalists to speak with her as she drove away in her black Sports Utility Vehicle.

Earlier before her suspension, she had resubmitted a sexual harassment petition against Senator Akpabio during plenary, this time, on behalf of her constituents, led by one Zubairu Yakubu.

After confirming there were no legal barriers, Akpabio directed her to lay the petition before the Senate.

Her petition was then referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, chaired by Imasuen with a mandate to report back within four weeks.

Natasha’s husband, my close friend – Akpabio

Meanwhile, Akpabio has disclosed that he slept in a hotel located within the premises of the Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State when Akpoti-Uduaghan wedded her heartthrob, Mr Emmanuel Uduaghan.

He said, “The person we are talking about here is the wife of my very good friend, or so I thought. I slept in 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.”

The former governor disclosed that as the Senate President, his responsibility is to protect the institution, relying on the rules.

“The rules give me the power to give a ruling on points of order. I’m in the best position to interpret the rules of the Senate,” he added.

In the same vein, the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, denied threatening Akpoti-Uduaghan during a midnight conversation with her and challenged security agencies to investigate his claims.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s colleague from Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Sunday Karimi also apologised to Akpabio for backing her for a leadership role.

The Senate, thereafter, warned the suspended senator to stop violating the Senate Standing Rules.

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Monguno, gave the warning after reporting to the Senate that the embattled lawmaker had persistently refused to stand to her feet anytime the Senate President led the procession to commence the day’s plenary in clear violation of the Senate Standing Orders 55(1).

Monguno said Akpoti-Uduaghan cannot hide under a session of the rules to air her opinions and at the same time disregard other provisions in the Standing Orders.

“Senator Natasha has been consistently and persistently in breach of this rule. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands. We urge her to study the rules and comply in observance and not in breach,” Monguno said.

However, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension has continued to reverberate across the polity with the NBA, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi expressing displeasure over the handling of the case.

The Chairperson of the NBA Women Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, queried the manner in which the matter was handled.

She stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which is a build up on the dispute between her and Akpabio, might not have been the right decision to take in the interest of justice.

Stressing that in the interest of justice, she deserved fair hearing before such decision should have been taken.

She said, “To start with I will say on the suspension, we are all lawyers and would like to see fairness across board. We know the allegation is very big and he who asserts must prove so we will want her to prove the allegations and we expect fairness in it.

“I see her suspension as a kind of intimidation; you cannot be a judge in your own court. If something affects you, slide by the side and let justice take its course because we need to see fairness.

‘’We as citizens we would like to see a fair level ground for everybody. She is alleging and proving and peradventure she is unable to prove what she has alleged, she knows what would come to her. We are in a democracy, suspension is not the answer.’’

Speaking further, Muhammad noted, “The question here is: Did the committee call her before suspending her?  Did she refuse to come? Did she send a representation? If she was not called then what was the yard stick used in suspending her and if she was called and she refused to go that will be very wrong of her because she was called to prove her innocence and her refusing to honour the invite will be wrong.

‘’ Those who suspended her should know there are people out there watching and we all want justice because as far as we are concerned, the Senate is a sacred place and what is happening right now should not be happening.’’

 Professor Itsey Sagay (SAN) stated that since the matter was already before a court of law, it should have been left for the courts to decide.

‘’The matter is in court as I know and I’m surprised they didn’t leave it at that stage. I feel very sympathetic towards her because in an assembly full of men there’s a tendency towards self-defence but the men rather than looking at the matter objectively, they didn’t.

‘’I think very seriously she is at a disadvantage in that type of circle. It can never be right because everybody is saying I could be the one. My advice to her is to put the matter behind her and carry on with her life totally ignoring all those things and do her job for her people of Kogi knowing that they elected her,’’ he counselled.

 Chief Awa Kalu, SAN, believed the Senate was too hasty in their decision, saying, “My comment on the decision of the Senate is that it is hasty.”

 Like the NBA, Wale Balogun (SAN), argued that there are procedural steps that should be followed before the lawmaker was suspended.

“Legally, it is an internal affair of the legislators and they have their rules of engagement provided exercising their right and rules of engagement which they comply with as their own internal rules and regulations and then in addition to that, exercising such actions in compliance with the Constitution.

‘’For instance, was she heard? This is a fundamental constitutional provision. The Constitution requires that your internal procedure notwithstanding, should ensure that the person is invited. She should have been heard.’’

Another senior lawyer,  Lekan Ojo (SAN) also questioned the suspension stating that she has a right to cry out to the public.

“They suspended her for what? For crying to the public. But again, there are certain things in life when you get to a particular stage or you attain a particular status in life, there are ways and manners in which you must go about particular things,’’ he noted.

Atiku, PDP caution Senate leadership

The former Vice President, speaking through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, told The PUNCH that Nigerian leaders are not creating an environment that enables women to thrive and contribute to the country’s development.

The Waziri Adamawa expressed concern over the Senate’s decision against Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it an attack on affirmative action.

He stated, “Has there been an investigation? No. So, Atiku’s position hasn’t changed. Whichever way you look at this, there is a concern. Any society that does not optimally use the assets available to it, particularly by giving women the opportunity to thrive, is failing.

 “About half of our population is women, and if we don’t deliberately create an environment conducive to promoting women’s interests—whether in politics, business, or any other human endeavour—we are underutilizing our potential.

“We’re not providing half of our population the opportunities to thrive and add value to society. With International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, it raises serious concerns. The Senate’s action of suspending Natasha for six months without conducting an investigation is an attack on affirmative action.”

Obi, who spoke through his former media aide and the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Tanko Yunusa, also frowned on the development.

“The situation is quite disappointing,” he lamented.

The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, criticised Akpabio for not stepping down to allow an independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against him.

Osadolor described the six-month suspension imposed on Uduaghan-Akpoti as shameful.

The PDP youth leader equally dragged opposition lawmakers for failing to speak out and make their voices heard when it mattered most.

He stated, “The Senate President should have excused himself; he wasn’t truly a man of integrity. He should have stepped aside and allowed the investigation to proceed. I was deeply moved by this, and I’m sure every person of goodwill would be as well.

“Natasha could have been our sister, our wife, our daughter, or our mother. To see them all gang up and use state power and bureaucracy to silence her voice is shameful. For me, it was even more shameful for the opposition members on the floor of the Senate. They failed to speak up when it mattered.

“They were trying to stay in Akpabio’s good books. Looking at the whole situation, no one could stand up to be counted because they didn’t want to be kicked out or labelled as rebels. It’s a shame. But I believe Natasha has made her points. Though the majority will have their way, the minority will also have their day.”

The leadership of the Labour Party on called on the Nigerian Senate to reconsider the suspension of the legislator.

In a telephone interview, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, described the verdict as a disheartening and shoddy arrangement.

He said, “The suspension is draconian. The woman, I am told, was not given the opportunity to properly defend herself. That is where I and most Nigerians have issues. Don’t forget she is representing an entire senatorial zone with eight or more local governments.

“Asking her not to be in the senate for six months is undemocratic. The Labour Party stands for gender inclusivity. If the woman said that injustice was done, then they should critically look at the woman’s complaint. But unilaterally suspending her without hearing her out is injustice.

“The Labour Party does not support that. So, I think they should bring her back and revisit her case. If she says that there was an allegation of sexual harassment, at least, you should look into it and whoever is involved should clear himself of that.

 “But we discovered the person is even the judge in a matter that concerns him. Where is that done? So, I think that matter should be revisited.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson, expressed shock at the outcome.

According to him, the complaint brought to the floor of the Senate should have been properly investigated before an action was taken.

“Well, should someone be suspended for raising an issue fundamental to her well-being and others? That’s one question. There’s another argument about her sitting position. When Akpabio argued about his sitting position in the past, was he also suspended?

“If a person is saying that certain thing happened to me, and you strike it out on a technicality, saying that she signed it herself or something. You haven’t even gone into the details or the merits of the matter to know whether she lied or she was right.

“Instead, you punished the person by suspending her for six months and withholding her allowances, salary and other benefits. It doesn’t seem straightforward to me. That’s all I’ll say,” he stated.

[Punch]