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Court Verdict: Natasha to resume at Senate on Tuesday
The suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has told her jubilant supporters in a video trending on social media, that she would resume her legislative activities in the red chamber on Tuesday this week.
She expressed gratitude to her supporters following a favourable court judgment that reaffirmed her position in the Senate.
She said, “I thank you for your support. I am glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God.”
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Friday nullified the six-month suspension slammed on Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate,
The court ordered that she should be recalled from suspension.
It also fined her the sum ofN5 million for contempt of court over a Facebook post deemed to have violated an earlier court order.
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The court declared that the six-month suspension slammed on her was excessive, unconstitutional, and an infringement on the rights of her constituents.
Justice Binta Nyako in a ruling that spanned multiple legal issues, held that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Facebook post, a satirical apology directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio, breached an interim injunction issued by the court on March 4, 2025.
That injunction had barred all parties from making public statements or social media posts relating to the ongoing suit she filed challenging her suspension.
The embattled senator was suspended for six months by the Senate in March after a rowdy plenary during which she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
The suspension had sparked outrage among various civil society groups and human rights organisations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently sued the Senate and its leadership, arguing that the action was a calculated attempt to silence her and disenfranchise her constituents.
In response to a satirical Facebook post dated April 27 – in which she offered what the court described as a “mock apology” to Akpabio, lawyers representing the Senate President filed a contempt application against her.
The lawyers claimed that the post was in defiance of the court’s gag order.
During proceedings, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team contended that the post was unrelated to the suspension case, insisting it concerned her personal allegations of misconduct against the Senate President.
Justice Nyako, however, disagreed, stating that the post was clearly linked to the matter before the court and therefore constituted a deliberate breach of the court’s directive.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Nyako imposed aN5 million fine on the senator and ordered her to issue a public apology within seven days.
The apology must be published in two national dailies and reposted on her Facebook page.
News
BREAKING: El-Rufai Tests Positive for Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Shows Signs of Possible Severe Infection—Report
…doctors recommend admission in hospital
A medical report on former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has revealed that a blood culture test detected Enterococcus faecium, a bacterium resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin, while his doctors listed possible sepsis among their clinical concerns.The findings are contained in two medical documents dated October 22, 2026, concerning the 66-year-old former governor, who is currently being detained by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) amid his prosecution.A laboratory report issued by Cerba Lancet Nigeria showed that both aerobic and anaerobic blood cultures tested positive for Enterococcus faecium after 24–48 hours of incubation.
The report stated: “Culture positive After 24-48 hours incubation.”
It identified the organism as Enterococcus faecium and explicitly described it as a “Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE).”
The laboratory report listed vancomycin as resistant, while several other antibiotics, including ampicillin/amoxicillin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, minocycline and linezolid, were marked as sensitive.
However, the laboratory document was marked “INTERIM REPORT” and stated: “Final Verified Report to Follow.”
This means the final verified laboratory result was still pending in the document provided.
A separate medical report issued by ASK+ Medical & Diagnostics on October 22 also documented the blood culture finding and detailed El-Rufai’s symptoms, clinical assessment and proposed treatment.
Under its clinical history section, the report stated: “The patient is a 66-year-old man with dyslipidemia, persistent headaches and insomnia. He presented with mild generalized headache and dizziness, without aura or photophobia. There is a reported history of hypotension.”
The report also noted that he appeared mildly dehydrated, with the clinical impression including dehydration in a case documented as resistant malaria and possible sepsis.
Under the clinical history section, the document described the assessment as “dehydration with resistant malaria and possible sepsis, with a suspected Para umbilical focus.”
The report recorded El-Rufai’s blood pressure at 93/70 mmHg and his pulse rate at 68 beats per minute.
His temperature was recorded as 36.2 degrees Celsius, while his oxygen saturation was 98 per cent on room air. The physical examination described him as being in no apparent respiratory or painful distress.
The report also contained an apparent difference in its assessment of his hydration status. While the clinical history described him as mildly dehydrated, the physical examination stated: “No dehydration.”
Under the investigations section, the ASK+ report confirmed the laboratory finding, stating: “Blood Culture: Enterococcus faecium (Gram-positive) isolated.”
It added that the organism was sensitive to several antibiotics, including ampicillin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, minocycline and linezolid, but resistant to vancomycin.
The report also listed gentamicin as sensitive, although the laboratory document presents the gentamicin result differently in its aerobic and anaerobic culture sections. The discrepancy requires clarification from the laboratory.
The ASK+ report stated that results from several other investigations, including a full blood count, malaria test, renal function test, liver function test, fasting lipid profile, random blood glucose, urinalysis and HbA1c, were within normal limits.
Despite those results, the positive blood culture prompted a recommendation for further medical evaluation and treatment guided by the laboratory findings.
Under its treatment plan, the report recommended admission for observation, intravenous fluids and medication for the documented clinical concerns.
It also advised that the blood culture and antibiotic sensitivity results be reviewed in consultation with an infectious disease physician.
The report stated: “Review the blood culture result and sensitivity results and, in consultation with Infectious disease physician, consider appropriate IV antibiotic therapy and admission for at least three days as advised by the clinical pathologist.”
It listed possible intravenous antibiotic options, including Augmentin, Gentalex, L-Flox and linezolid, subject to further clinical assessment and review of the culture results.
The findings come as El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody while facing prosecution. However, the medical documents do not establish any connection between his detention and the bacterial finding.
The Federal Government’s Independent Investigative Committee probing the deaths of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State has found that the deceased died from asphyxiation.
The committee Chairman and former Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, Jonathan Kure, disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja.
Kure stated that the panel recommended that one point four billion be paid to the families of 33 victims and forty-four survivors.
The committee chairman added that the deaths were avoidable as the victims, inclng 14 minors, were held in inhuman conditions.
The committee also recommended summary dismissal of the state commandant of the Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and all other officers who were directly involved in the detention and eventual death of the miners
The committee equally recommended institutional reforms for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in order to strengthen the leadership of the corps.
The Minister of Interior, who received the report, promised to implement the recommendations of the committee in order to ensure justice for all affected persons.
Tunji-Ojo also directed the commandant of the Corps to immediately suspend all officers who cleaned up the detention centre in order to destroy evidence.
The finding marks a major development in the investigation into the deaths of the suspected illegal miners, who died on September 17, 2026, while in the custody of the NSCDC Niger State Command in Minna.
The victims were among dozens of persons arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state. (PUNCH)
…Sen. Nnamani, Nwobodo, Dr. Nnamani, Chime, Ugwuanyi, Prof. Nnaji, Arthur Eze, Frank Nweke, Madueke, others get advisory roles
…Udeh, Nwoye, Utazi, Egumgbe, Ben Collins Ndu, Onyia, others head 51 Directorates
…Council to be inaugurated on Tuesday
The Enugu State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, unveiled the party’s Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Campaign Council, comprising 51 Directorates, is chaired by the Governor of the state, Dr. Peter Mbah, while the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Deputy National Chairman, APC (South); Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu; and the Chairman of the party in the state, Dr. Martin Chukwunweike, are Vice Chairmen.
The list signed by Chukwunweike and the Secretary of Enugu APC, Hon. Chukwudi Nnadozie, also has Chief Charlie Mbah as the Director-General of the Campaign Organisation and Dr. Eric Oluedo as the Secretary-General.
Deacon Okey Ogbodo, Dr. Dan Shere, and Hon. S.K.E. Udeh-Okoye are Deputy Campaign DGs for Enugu East Senatorial District, Enugu North Senatorial District, and Enugu West Senatorial District, respectively.
Barr. Steve Oruruo is the Campaign Spokesperson and Director of the Public Communication Committee, with Dr. Austin Okolie as co-spokesperson and Dr. Malachy Agbo as Secretary.
Mazi Uche Anichukwu and Dan Nwomeh, both drawn from the Governor’s media team, head the Directorate of New Media and Strategic Communication and the Directorate of Mainstream Media, respectively. Dr. Collins Ogbu is the Secretary of the former, while Dr. Reuben Onyishi is the Secretary of the latter.
Barr. Victor Udeh leads the Administration Directorate, while Dr. Ben Nwoye and Arc. Uche Nwatu are the Director and Co-Director of the Fundraising Committee, respectively.
Former Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Ogalla (Rtd.), chairs the Security Directorate, while former Inspector General of Police, Ogbono Onovo (Rtd.), is the Secretary.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology is in charge of the Directorate of Government Appointees Coordination (Federal and State), with Prof. Chidiebere Onyia as Secretary, while former Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odoh, heads Inter-Party Affairs.
Senator Osita Ngwu, Senator Ikeje Asogwa, and Senator Kelvin Chukwu are Coordinators of the Campaign Council in Enugu West, Enugu North, and Enugu East, respectively.
Meanwhile, in their co-signed statement, Chukwunweike and Nnadozie said the size of the Campaign Council was a reflection of “the conviction that every community, ward, local government area, professional group, support organisation, youth body, women’s group, elder, party faithful and person of goodwill must be seen, heard and meaningfully engaged.”
“Appointment into the campaign structure is therefore not merely an honour; it is a call to duty, accountability and measurable contribution,” they stated.
The Council will be inaugurated at the International Conference Centre, Enugu on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
All members of the Campaign Council are to be seated before 3pm.
CLICK LINK BELOW TO SEE FULL LIST:
APC ENUGU CAMPAIGN COUNCIL COMPOSITION-1
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