The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has said the representatives of the petitioners seeking the recall of the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central district at the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti -Uduaghan did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines.

The commission said the address is “Okene, Kogi State,” which is not a definite location for contacting the petitioners. It insists that only the telephone number of “the lead petitioner” is provided, as opposed to the numbers of all the other representatives of the petitioners.

INEC National Commissioner and chairman of its information and voter education committee, Sam Olumekun, said this at the end of the commission’s weekly meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the recall process is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the Commission’s detailed Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, which are available on its website. He stressed that all petitions will be treated in strict compliance with the legal framework.

“The Commission held its regular weekly meeting today, Tuesday 25th March 2025. Among other issues, the meeting discussed the petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

“The process of recall is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, as well as the Commission’s detailed Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, available on our website. All petitions will be treated in strict compliance with the legal framework.

“The petition from Kogi Central Senatorial District was accompanied by six bags of documents said to be signatures collected from over half of the 474,554 registered voters spread across 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas (Wards) in the five Local Government Areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene.

“The Commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines.

“The address given is “Okene, Kogi State”, which is not a definite location for contacting the petitioners. Only the telephone number of “the lead petitioner” is provided as against the numbers of all the other representatives of the petitioners,” Olumekun said.

The INEC Chief Spokesperson reiterated that the recall of a legislator is the prerogative of registered voters in a constituency who sign a petition indicating loss of confidence in the legislator representing them.

He said that once the petition meets the submission requirements, as contained in INEC’s regulations, the commission shall commence the verification of the signatures in each polling unit in an open process restricted to registered voters who signed the petition only.

“The petitioners and the member whose recall is sought shall be at liberty to nominate agents to observe the verification, while interested observers and the media will also be accredited. At each Polling Unit, signatories to the petition shall be verified using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

“Consequently, if the petitioners fully comply with the requirements of Clause 1(f) of the Regulations and Guidelines regarding the submission of their petition, the Commission will announce the next steps in line with the extant laws, regulations and guidelines.

“In the absence of a definite contact address, the commission is making efforts to use other means to notify the representatives of the petitioners of the situation.

“The commission reassures the public that it will be guided by the legal framework for recall. The public should, therefore, discountenance any speculations and insinuations in the social media,” Olumekun added.

President Bola Tinubu has felicitated veteran Fuji musician and entertainer, Adewale Ayuba on his 60th birthday on March 25, 2025.

Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, acknowledged Ayuba’s profound influence on Nigeria’s Fuji music genre, a cultural treasure that resonates with many.

The president also celebrates Ayuba’s legacy as one of the nation’s cherished musical icons.

Since his debut as a Fuji singer at 17, Ayuba has established himself as the Bonsue Fuji King.

Known affectionately as Mr. Johnson, the veteran Fuji musician has remained a vital presence on the Nigerian social scene.

The president recalled that Ayuba’s album ‘Bubble’ which was released in 1991 garnered numerous awards and topped the music charts for months.

He commended the multi-talented artist, who excels as a singer, drummer, and actor, and acknowledges Ayuba’s significant contributions to youth development through talent nurturing.

“Today, we celebrate an icon whose talent and dedication have brought joy to generations of Nigerians and Africans worldwide. Through his lyrics, Adewale Ayuba has etched his name in gold, standing as a formidable force in our cultural history. His music, rich with wisdom, reflects the vibrancy and resilience of our society,” Tinubu stated.

He wished the Fuji maestro a long life and good health as he continues to inspire the younger generation of entertainers and serves as a beacon of hope for the vibrant and creative youth.

The Senate, on Tuesday, dismissed a petition of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, filed by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central).

The petitioner, Mr. Zuberu Yakubu, representing the suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, accused the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions of bias and of denying him a fair hearing.

Appearing before the committee on Tuesday, Yakubu was accompanied by his legal counsel, Dr. Abiola Akiyode, and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili. He initially refused to speak unless Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, his principal witness, was allowed entry into the National Assembly.

A heated exchange erupted during the hearing between Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North) and Ezekwesili after tensions escalated when Yakubu attempted to speak while the Committee chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, was addressing the panel. Yakubu was instructed to mute his microphone, prompting Ezekwesili to intervene.

Nwaebonyi, present as a witness for Akpabio, interjected, leading to a sharp verbal confrontation with the former minister.

“Compose yourself and stop making noise,” Ezekwesili told Nwaebonyi.

Angered by her remark, the Senator Nwaebonyi fired back: “You’re a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I will not take it. You’re an insult to womanhood. People like you cannot be here.”

Ezekwesili responded by calling him a “hooligan,” escalating the confrontation and briefly halting the proceedings of the legislative panel.

Order was later restored, but Imasuen announced that the case was already before a court, leading to an abrupt adjournment of the hearing.

Speaking to journalists after the dismissal of the petition, Yakubu explained that he refused to make a statement before the committee because he believed the hearing was biased.

He directly challenged the committee chairman, Senator Imasuen (LP, Edo South), for making prejudicial comments in the media before the hearing.

“How can the chairman serve as a judge in a case where he has already publicly taken a position? He was quoted in the media saying the petition was ‘dead on arrival.’ This means he had already made up his mind before even hearing us. How can we expect fair treatment?” Yakubu questioned.

He also alleged that some committee members had prior affiliations with the Senate President, further compromising their impartiality.

“One of the committee members denied this today, but he had previously stated on Channels TV that he is a key witness for the Senate President. In such a situation, how can we expect a fair hearing?” he asked.

A major point of contention was the exclusion of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, whom Yakubu described as the principal witness with crucial documentary evidence.

“In my petition, I clearly stated that my witness would present her evidence personally. But she was barred from entering the National Assembly. If my key witness is denied access, how can I proceed?” he asked.

Yakubu further accused the committee of using “defensive tactics” to avoid addressing the real issues.

“The committee had already made up its mind. They are simply playing a game, using procedural excuses to justify their actions. In Nigeria today, we are not following the Constitution. If we don’t uphold the Constitution, how can we expect peace and justice?” he added.

Also speaking, Dr. Abiola Akiyode, legal counsel to the petitioner, argued that the Senate’s decision lacked consistency.

“There is nothing in Yakubu’s petition that wasn’t in Senator Natasha’s original petition. If the Senate dismissed her petition as ‘dead on arrival,’ then logically, Yakubu’s should also be dismissed. Instead, they invited him and then dismissed his case on the grounds that it was in court,” she said.

She criticised the committee’s approach, arguing that it was designed to extract additional information from the petitioner rather than conduct a fair hearing.

“If they knew the matter was already in court, why did they invite the petitioner at all? They should have simply informed him that they could not entertain it. Instead, they brought him here, only to tell him they couldn’t proceed. This shows clear bias and a disregard for constitutional principles,” she stated.

Akiyode also raised concerns over the Senate’s rules seemingly overriding the Constitution, particularly in the six-month suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

“The Constitution and the Senate rules on fair hearing do not align. The Senate is acting as if it operates outside the Constitution, which is why they can suspend a senator without following due process,” she added.

Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, who attended the hearing as a witness for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, described the committee’s conduct as a gross violation of the Nigerian Constitution.

“The Nigerian Senate is now telling citizens that Senate rules take precedence over the Constitution in a democracy. This is deeply troubling,” she said.

Ezekwesili argued that the Senate’s internal rules should not supersede national laws.

“This was exactly what happened in Senator Natasha’s suspension. The Senate prioritized its internal rules over the Constitution. Now, they have done the same thing again, using procedural loopholes to deny justice,” she added.

She emphasized that an independent committee should be set up to hear the case fairly.

“The petitioner has made it clear—he does not trust this committee to deliver justice. The Senate should constitute a neutral panel that ensures due process is followed,” she insisted.

Ezekwesili also reiterated that barring Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from appearing as a witness further demonstrated the Senate’s bias.

“By preventing Senator Natasha from testifying, they have denied the petitioner a fair hearing. She is the principal witness, and her absence only harms the credibility of the process,” she said.

No fewer than 11 soldiers have been killed and six others including a brigade commander have sustained injuries during terrorists attack on a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Wajiroko in Borno State.

According to military sources, the brigade commander was injured when his vehicle stepped on an Improvise Explosive (IED) enroute the location to provide support to the Base.

He said at about 2205 hours on 24 March 2025, own troops for Forward Operating Base (FOB) WAJIROKO came under BHT/ISWAP terrorists attack.

This prompted the brigade to call for air support in addition to sending re-enforcement team immediately, however, the re-enforcement team encountered IED along the way hence, a second re-enforcement led by the Commander 25 Brigade (name withheld) set out for the mission.

According to the report sighted by LEADERSHIP, the second re-enforcement team was still enroute when the Brigade Commander’s Hilux vehicle encountered IED around Damboa,”.

The resulted explosion led to death of three soldiers and three others wounded in action including the Brigade Commander.

While details of the attack were not readily available, the report said the pilot dispatched to provide air support “communicated that he can sight fire around the FOb while scores of soldiers could be seen running towards Sabon Gari, likely that the FOB had been dislodged”

The report added that the general security situation within the area of responsibility is fluid and urged troops to remain at maximum alert.

Further reports later revealed that 11 soldiers were killed in action (KIA 11), Six soldiers wounded in action (WIA 6) and four soldiers missing in action (MIA 4).

The Director Defence Media Operations Major General Markus Kangye did not respond to messages for confirmation.

LEADERSHIP recall that on January 4 2025, terrorists attacked a military base in Damboa killing six soldiers.

President Tinubu had also ordered that the incident be probed in order to prevent future occurrences.
However,just one month after the attack and probe, terrorists attacked another military base in the same Borno killing soldiers and injuring a brigadier general who was riding in a soft skin vehicle instead of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) to provide support to the troops.

In a groundbreaking medical milestone, Nigeria has become the first country in West Africa to successfully perform robotic prostate cancer surgery.

This historic achievement was led by a United Kingdom-based Consultant Urological/Robotic Surgeon, Professor Kingsley Ekwueme at The Prostate Clinic (TPC) in Lagos on Monday.

The newly established TPC is West Africa’s first super-specialised centre for robotic and laparoscopic surgery, offering advanced treatments for prostate cancer and other urological conditions.

At the heart of this medical breakthrough is the Da Vinci robotic surgical system, a state-of-the-art technology that allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures with unmatched precision.

The system’s robotic arms mimic human hand movements with seven degrees of freedom, enhancing accuracy while minimising blood loss, post-operative pain, and recovery time.

Patients can be discharged within 24 hours with minimal scarring and no need for blood transfusions.

“This is a dream come true. With robotic surgery, we can save lives and provide world-class prostate cancer treatment right here in Nigeria. No man should have to travel abroad for care when we now have cutting-edge solutions at home,” Ekwueme said while addressing journalists.

Ekwueme, inspired by specialised centres in Europe, has been performing keyhole surgeries in Nigeria since 2022.

However, with TPC’s launch, Nigerians now have access to a dedicated centre of excellence for robotic surgery, eliminating the need for expensive overseas medical trips.

He emphasised that before this development, the Da Vinci system was available only in South Africa within the continent.

Nigeria has now joined the global map of countries utilising robotic-assisted surgery for prostate cancer, a milestone that places the nation at the forefront of medical innovation in West Africa.

Ekwueme highlighted the system’s advanced three-dimensional imaging, which provides surgeons with unparalleled visibility, allowing for intricate procedures while preserving crucial nerves that aid in post-surgery recovery.

Addressing affordability concerns, Ekwueme reiterated his commitment to making robotic prostate surgery accessible.

He assured that no patient would be turned away due to financial constraints, as his mission was to prevent needless deaths from prostate-related diseases in Nigeria.

Beyond prostate cancer treatment, Ekwueme outlined his expertise in performing kidney cancer surgeries, bladder cancer treatments, and procedures for benign prostate enlargement.

He also revealed plans to introduce a non-invasive treatment for enlarged prostates, a technology never before performed in Africa, with an official unveiling planned for the near future.

Ekwueme called for government and institutional partnerships to train more surgeons in robotic and minimally invasive surgery, ensuring widespread access to advanced medical care across Nigeria.

The senate has started investigating ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) for allegedly breaking the federal character rules.

The move follows a motion sponsored by Osita Ngwu, the senator representing Enugu west on Tuesday.

The motion was titled “urgent need to address systemic abuse and ineffective implementation of the federal character principle in Nigeria’s public sector”.

“The federal character principle, entrenched in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), mandates fair representation in federal appointments to reflect the linguistic, ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity of the nation,” Ngwu said.

“Section 14(3) and (4) of the constitution unequivocally stipulate that ‘no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or sectional groups’ should exist within the federal government or its agencies.”

The lawmaker said some MDAs have allegedly failed to comply with the federal character principle.

He listed the defaulting agencies to include the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiary, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC); the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); PENCOM; NDIC; the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA); the National Library of Nigeria (NLN); the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN); the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN); the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF); and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).

He said the senate, “regrets that against the spirit of order 96(27)(b) of the senate standing orders 2023 (as amended) and sections 62, 88, 89, 14(3)-(4) and the third schedule part I C8(1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which bestows on its committee on federal character and inter-governmental affairs the power of legislative oversight in matters connected to the implementation and monitoring of the policy, it is deemed that various federal institutions, including NNPCL and its subsidiary, NUPRC, NAFDAC, NPA, PENCOM, NDIC, FUTA, NLN, SMEDAN, ECN, SMDF, NNRA have consistently failed to adhere to federal character mandates, often bypassing regulations in their recruitment exercise (evidence abound).”

He alleged that the agencies “have consistently failed to adhere to federal character mandates, often bypassing regulations in their recruitment exercises”.

Supporting the motion, Seriake Dickson, the senator representing Bayelsa west, called on President Bola Tinubu to back the senate’s efforts to fix recruitment imbalances in federal agencies.

“He is the leader and chief executive of the country; he should be told that this flagrant and widespread violation must stop,” Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa state, said.

“The national assembly is taking action, and he should throw his weight behind it. When the report is ready, he should be given a copy so that we can ensure fairness for all.”

Victor Umeh, the Anambra central senator, criticised the “intentional exclusion of certain regions, especially in federal appointments and infrastructure projects”.

“No part of Nigeria should be treated as an afterthought,” Umeh said.

The senate ordered its committee on federal character and intergovernmental affairs to investigate and report back within four weeks with the representatives of the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday set aside actions previously delivered against the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

Subsequently, the appellate court, upon acknowledging the transmission of the case record to the Supreme Court, directed all interested parties to exercise caution, pending the hearing of their appeals at the apex court.

In a unanimous ruling delivered by a three-member panel of justices, presided over by Justice Biobele Abraham Georgewill, the court accepted the withdrawal of the application filed by the Kano State Government, following the transmission of the record of appeal to the Supreme Court.

During the resumed hearing on the enforcement of its earlier orders, counsel for the Kano State Government, Ibrahim Wangida, informed the court of a notice of appeal filed against the stay of execution issued on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Wangida stated that all necessary legal steps had been taken, including the transmission of the appeal record to the Supreme Court.

By implication, the transmission of the appeal record to the Supreme Court, in line with established legal precedents, operates as a stay of any further action on the Court of Appeal’s ruling of March 14, 2025.

Justice Abang, on Friday, March 14, 2025, ordered a stay of execution on an earlier judgment that validated the reinstatement of Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

The judge also directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, as well as the sheriffs of both the Court of Appeal and the trial court, reverting to the situation before the trial court’s ruling delivered on June 13, 2024, in Suit No. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024.

Dissatisfied with Justice Abang’s ruling, counsel for the Kano State Government, Wangida, argued that the March 14 ruling constituted a grave error in interpreting constitutional provisions.

He maintained that an appeal had already been filed before the Supreme Court.

Responding to the notice of appeal, counsel for the appellant, Abdul Fagge (SAN), did not object, stating that the respondent acted within constitutional provisions.

The Kano State Government reinstated Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano, following the passage of the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024.

The same law deposed Aminu Ado Bayero as the 15th Emir, along with four first-class emirs appointed by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Bayero, however, returned and took up residence at the Nassarawa mini palace in Kano under heavy security protection, while legally challenging his removal by the state government.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria failed to beat Zimbabwe in their sixth game of the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.

Nigeria played a 1-1 draw with the Zimbabweans before a packed Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo on Tuesday.

A powerful header from Victor Osimhen was cancelled out by a late strike from Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Chiwenda to deny Nigeria a crucial victory.

The draw placed the Eagles fourth in Group C of the qualifier, with just seven points from six matches.

For the Zimbabwe tie, Eric Chelle, Super Eagles of Nigeria coach, named the same the line-up that started the team’s 2-0 win over Rwanda on Friday.

Victor Osimhen scored a brace in the previous game and retained his position alongside the trio of Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon.

Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi reprised their roles in midfield in front of an unchanged back four of Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, William Troost-Ekong and Bright Osayi-Samuel.

The Eagles picked up their dazzling performance where they halted last week. The team flooded the Zimbabweans with quick, vibrant attacking sequences in the early part of the match.

Washington Arubi, the Zimbabwean goalkeeper, produced a couple of impressive saves to keep Nigeria at bay.

The goalkeeper clawed out a swerving header from Osimhen before denying the striker a few minutes later with another acrobatic dive to save a shot fizzing into his top corner.

Then, Samuel Chukwueze’s shot sailed millimetres past the upright after a brilliant pass from Moses Simon.

Nigeria resumed dominance in the second half, but the breakthrough did not come until the 74th minute. Osimhen stole into the far post to head home a cross from Ola Aina.

The Eagles were riding the slim victory until Zimbabwe capitalised on a defensive lethagy to wrestle in an equaliser through Chiwenda.

In other matches in the group, South Africa defeated Benin Republic 2-0, and Rwanda drew 1-1 against Lesotho.

GROUP C STANDINGS AFTER SIX GAMES

South Africa — 13 points
Rwanda — 8 points
Benin Republic — 8 points
Nigeria — 7 points
Lesotho — 6 points
Zimbabwe — 4 points

George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), says President Bola Tinubu is committed to addressing challenges in policy execution across government institutions.

Akume spoke on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ validation session on the ‘Draft National Policy Development and Management Framework’, in Abuja.

The event was organised by Hadiza Bala Usman, special adviser to the president on policy and coordination.

The SGF noted that the current administration recognises that effective governance depends on structured and well-implemented policies.

Akume said the lack of coordination among ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) has been a major hindrance to Nigeria’s policy management and national development.

“Over the years, one of the recurring challenges of policy management in Nigeria has been the lack of coherence and consistency across ministries, departments, and agencies,” he said.

“Fragmentation, duplication, and sublimation have often resulted in inefficiencies, slowing down the implementation of critical interventions that should otherwise accelerate national progress.”

The SGF described the Draft National Policy Development and Management Framework as a crucial step toward ensuring policies are not only well-formulated but also effectively implemented, monitored, and adapted to evolving national needs.

“This Draft National Policy Development and Management Framework is a bold step towards addressing these challenges,” he said.

“It offers a systematic approach to policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation- -one that is informed by international best practices, yet deeply rooted in the Nigerian context.

“Indeed, policymaking is not a theoretical exercise; it is a practical tool for governance, the mechanism through which governments translate national aspirations into concrete actions.

“A robust policy framework must not only define priorities but also provide planning and implementation pathways, assign institutional responsibilities, and establish mechanisms for tracking impacts.

“This is what distinguishes a well-governed nation from one where policies exist only in name.

”That is why today’s session is crucial — it is an opportunity to define this framework into an instrument that will endure, ensuring that public policy is driven by data, aligned with national goals, and responsive to the dynamic needs of our people.”

Tayo Aduloju, chief executive officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), also spoke at the event, highlighting Nigeria’s history of well-designed but poorly executed policies.

“Seven out of ten policies created between 1990 and today, by our own rough estimation and the NDSG, failed to achieve 100 per cent of their impact,” he said.

“In 90 per cent of the cases, it’s not really bad policy; the problem is bad policy execution.”

Other key stakeholders at the session included Ayo Omotayo, director-general of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS); Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner, represented by William Robinson; and representatives of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Tajudeen Abbas.

A 37-year-old woman, Linda Stephen, on Tuesday, approached a Kaduna Customary Court, seeking divorce over her husband, Felix Stephen’s excessive sexual demands.

In her petition, Mrs Stephen, a resident of Ungwan Sunday in Kaduna, also accused her husband of beating her whenever she rejected his sexual advances. They have been married for six years.

She told the court that she was no longer interested in the marriage as she can no longer cope with the husband’s excessive demand for sex.

“I urge the court to dissolve this marriage because I can’t stand his excessive sexual urge. He likes sex too much, and I can’t bear it.

“Most times, he would have sex with me from midnight till early hours of the morning. Even when I am crying, he will not stop.

“It has been three months since I moved out of his house, his relatives have been pleading with me to go back to him, but they do not know what I am facing,” she said.

She further said that her husband does not control himself whenever he needed sex, and that whenever she refused his sexual advances, he would beat her up, even in front of their two kids.

‘I’m ready to control my urge’ -Husband

Stephen, in his response, told the court that he is in love with his wife.

He pleaded with the court to help him pacify her, and not to grant her wish.

Stephen said he had been pleading with her wife not to seek for divorce, as he was now ready to control his sexual urge.

“I took my uncles and friends to her parents house to plead with her. But she refused to listen to us instead she walked out on us,’’ Stephen said.

He further pleaded with the court to give him time to sort things out and reconcile with his wife.

The judge, John Dauda, adjourned the matter until May 6 for a feedback and outcome of the reconciliation, while advising them to maintain peace.