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Nigerian Pro-Democracy Group Defends Senate President Akpabio

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Akpabio

Nigerian Pro-Democracy Group Defends Senate President Akpabio

Nigerian pro-democracy group defends Senate President Akpabio. A Nigerian political coalition has thrown its weight behind Senate President Godswill Akpabio, dismissing growing calls for his resignation as “baseless” and “undemocratic.”

In a press release issued Sunday following an emergency executive council meeting in Uyo, the Coalition of Democrats (CODE) rejected demands from 56 civil society organizations — including Amnesty International Nigeria and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) — urging Akpabio to step down. The coalition characterized the calls as a “mischievous campaign” aimed at destabilizing the National Assembly and distracting President Bola Tinubu’s administration from its constitutional responsibilities.

“These demands not only lack justification but also demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of legislative processes and democratic governance,” CODE said in a strongly worded statement signed by Chairman Rt. Hon. UsenObong Akpabio and Secretary Rt. Hon. Usoro AkpanUsoh.

The defense of Akpabio comes amid mounting pressure from advocacy groups alleging his links to electoral irregularities dating back to 2019. However, CODE insisted the Senate President had no connection to any such activities and should not be “dragged into politically motivated allegations.”

Since taking office in 2023, Akpabio has overseen a divided but functioning Senate, helping to steer key legislative actions and maintain institutional stability, the group added. “Under his leadership, the Senate has passed significant bills, promoted constructive oversight, and upheld integrity amidst national challenges.”

Akpabio

Akpabio

The coalition accused unnamed “forces opposed to reform and openness” of orchestrating a smear campaign and urged Nigerians to rally behind Akpabio, calling him a “symbol of unity and legislative progress.”

In a series of resolutions, CODE urged members of the National Assembly to stand firm against external pressures, advised civil society groups to shift focus toward socio-economic issues, and called on the media to avoid what it termed “sensationalist reporting” that could undermine national unity.

“At this critical moment in our democratic journey, Nigeria needs statesmanship, not sabotage; vision, not vendetta,” the statement concluded.

Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, has not publicly responded to the latest demands for his resignation. The Nigerian Senate has also not issued an official statement on the controversy.

Abuja

FCTA Confirms Antivenom Stock, Warns Negligent Hospitals, Gives Emergency Lines

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FCTA

FCTA Confirms Antivenom Stock, Warns Negligent Hospitals, Gives Emergency Lines

FCTA confirms antivenom stock, warns negligent hospitals, gives emergency lines. The FCTA said all public hFCTA confirms antivenom stock, warns negligent hospitals, gives emergency linesospitals have sufficient antivenom after singer Ifunanya Nwangene’s death at FMC Jabi. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe warned facilities to follow protocols or face sanctions, stressing that early treatment is critical.

FCTA

FCTA

The territory has added 12 ambulances, improved ICUs, and centralized antivenom storage.

Residents are urged to use emergency lines 090157892931 or 090157892932.

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Abuja

FCT Police Warn NLC Against Planned Abuja Protest, Say Proscribed Groups Plot To Hijack

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FCT Police Warn NLC Against Planned Abuja Protest, Say Proscribed Groups Plot To Hijack

FCT Police warn NLC against planned Abuja protest, say proscribed groups plot to hijack. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against its planned protest scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The NLC leadership had fixed February 3 for a solidarity rally along with members of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) secretariat in Garki Area 11.

The NLC declared that the rally is to publicly affirm that “an injury to one is an injury to all”, adding that the Nigerian labour movement will not abandon its members.

On January 24, the labour body declared support for the indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), describing the action as “necessary and heroic” in response to alleged violation of workers’ rights.

In a statement, Joe Ajaero, NLC president, said the labour union stood “in very strong solidarity” with FCTA workers under the aegis of JUAC.

Ajaero described the strike as “a necessary and heroic response to a vicious cocktail of neoliberal attacks, gross administrative impunity, and a systematic violation of the fundamental rights of workers by the FCTA management and its political leadership”.

However, in a statement on Monday, Josephine Adeh, FCT police spokesperson, said the command respects the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, but noted that intelligence reports indicate “plans by proscribed groups and other non-state actors to infiltrate and hijack the protest, posing a risk to public peace and safety”.

Adeh said in the interest of public safety, the organisers should consider rescheduling the protest to prevent any breakdown of law and order and to protect lives, property, and the rights of other residents.

Police

Police

“The Command remains committed to safeguarding all lawful activities and urges residents to continue cooperating with security agencies to keep the FCT peaceful and secure,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the national industrial court has reportedly issued an interim order restraining the NLC, TUC and JUAC from embarking on the planned protest.

The court had earlier ordered workers on the payroll of the FCT administration to suspend the strike.

Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.

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Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting, Warn Against Tampering With State’s Oil Wells

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Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting, Warn Against Tampering With State’s Oil Wells

Akwa Ibom indigenes protest RMAFC meeting, warn against tampering with State’s Oil Wells. Akwa Ibom indigenes resident in Abuja on Tuesday stormed the venue of a meeting of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), where the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) on Disputed/New Oil Wells was sitting, to protest what they described as attempts to reopen a matter already settled by the Supreme Court.

The protesters cautioned that no individual or agency should tamper with Akwa Ibom State’s 76 oil wells, stressing that the ownership of the wells was conclusively determined in favour of the state by the Supreme Court in 2012.

They insisted that any move to revisit the issue through administrative or technical processes would amount to a disregard for the authority of the apex court and could undermine peace in the Niger Delta region.

Akwa Ibom State was formally represented at the IATC meeting by a high-powered delegation comprising leading legal practitioners, government officials and technocrats. Members of the delegation included Paul Usoro, SAN; Assam Assam, SAN; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, SAN; Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN; Emmanuel Enoidem, SAN; and a former Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State.

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting

Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting

Also on the state’s delegation were the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Emem Bob, Former Attorney General and Commissioner Justice, Barr. Ekpenyong Ntekim; the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah; Honourable Member representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, Dr Patrick Umoh, among others.

The delegation is expected to present Akwa Ibom State’s position before the committee, reiterating that the Supreme Court judgment remains final and binding, and urging all relevant federal agencies to respect and uphold the ruling.

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