Tag: Akpabio

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said a national census is long overdue to enable the government have the current data and statistics to plan its programmes and policies more efficiently.

He recalled that the last national census was conducted in 2006.

Akpabio said this when he hosted members and management of the National Population Commission (NPC) who gave him an update on the preparation for the next census for the country.

He said: “I don’t want to call it a national disgrace, but can I say it’s a national embarrassment that even Nigerians who go outside to represent us in different fora do not know the number of Nigerians.

“Sometimes, you will go to some places and they will say 250 million Nigerians. At another place, they will say we are over 270 million. Some African countries think we are over 300 million.

“If you go to places where they are holding a retreat now, they are now shrinking the number from 250 million to 220 million. I think it’s time to bring that confusion to an end.

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“Any country that fails to know its population has already started to fail in its planning. You cannot truly plan for the future if you don’t know the number of mouths you want to feed and the number of children that you want to put in schools. You can’t know the number of classroom blocks you will build.

“We must plan. Any country that does not plan for its future has already accepted to fail. We will be failing the future generation of Nigerians if we do not begin to plan for the future and starting the planning is this census. This census is important so that we know how many people we are planning for.”

The Senate President assured members of the NPC that the National Assembly would support the commission to succeed.

“It is very important that we support you. The National Assembly will support you to succeed. I have no doubt, with the calibre of men and women that I have seen here, that the task that Mr. President has given to you, once the proclamation is done, you will rise to the occasion. And I know that the National Assembly, the Senate in particular, will stand by you all the way,” he said.

NPC Chairman Nasir Isa Kwarra, who led the delegation, said the visit was meant to keep the Senate President abreast of the level of preparation and seek continued support of the National Assembly for the next census.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has stressed the need to conduct another census to assist Nigeria in its national planning.

Akpabio said the conduct of another census was long overdue. The last Census exercise was in 2006.

Akpabio spoke when members and management of the National Population Commission(NPC) visited to update him on the preparation for the next census for the country.

Akpabio said: “I don’t want to call it a national disgrace but can I say it’s a national embarrassment that even Nigerians who go outside to represent us in different fora do not know the number of Nigerians.

“Sometimes you will go to some places and they will say 250 million Nigerians. At another place, they will say you people are over 270 million. Some African countries think we are over 300 million.

“If you go to places where they are holding retreat now, they are now shrinking the number from 250 million to 220 million. I think it’s time to bring that confusion to an end.

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“Any country that fails to know its population has already started to fail in its planning. You cannot truly plan for the future if you don’t know the number of mouths you want to feed. You do not know the number of children that you want to put in schools. You can’t know the number of classroom blocks you will build.

“We must plan. Any country that does not plan for its future has already accepted to fail. We will be failing future generation of Nigerians if we do not begin to plan for the future and starting the planning is this Census. This Census is important so that we know how many people we are planning for.”

Akpabio assured members of the NPC that the National Assembly would support the Commission to succeed.

“It is very important that we support you. The National Assembly will support you to succeed. I have no doubt, with the calibre of men and women that I have seen here, that the task that Mr President has given to you, once the proclamation is done, you will rise to the occasion. And I know that the National Assembly, the Senate in particular, will stand by you all the way,” he said.

NPC chairman, Nasir Isa Kwarra, who led the delegation said the visit was to keep the Senate President abreast of the stage of preparation and seek continued support of the National Assembly for the next Census.

“We cannot conduct this census without your support. So we will continue to count on your support and we want to make Nigerians proud by conducting a very thorough census that will yield a lot of data that will assist in planning policy formulation and tracking our development,” Kwarra said.

Stakeholders from various political parties in Akwa Ibom state have rejected calls by a coalition of civil society groups for the resignation of the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Recall that 56 civil society organizations (CSOs), including Amnesty International Nigeria and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) had asked Akpabio to resign over alleged electoral fraud in 2019.

The stakeholders under the aegis of Coalition of Democrats (CODE) condemned the CSOs stance, describing their position as a political ambush aimed at distracting the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

In a statement issued after its emergency meeting in Uyo yesterday, the body urged the CSOs to desist from linking Akpabio to any electoral malpractice.

The statement signed by the chairman, Useneobong Akpabio and secretary, Usoro Akpanusoh also asked the CSOs to focus on their advocacy efforts on socio-economic issues rather than constitutional matters like calling for the resignation of elected officials.

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The statement reads in parts, “These demands not only lack justification but also demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of legislative processes and democratic governance. 

“Since assuming office, Senate President Akpabio has exemplified leadership, balancing the diverse interests of a complex Senate while committing to the unity, stability, and progress of Nigeria. 

“Under his leadership, the Senate has passed significant bills, promoted constructive oversight, and maintained institutional integrity amidst national challenges.

“CODE views the campaign against the Senate President as a desperate attempt by forces opposed to reform, openness, and the new direction in the Senate.

“At a time when Nigeria requires collective effort to address economic, security, and governance challenges, the nation cannot afford unnecessary political distractions.

“CODE also urges the 56 CSOs to refrain from linking Senate President Godswill Akpabio to alleged 2019 electoral fraud and demanding his resignation, as he neither participated in nor benefited from such activities.”

A group of lawyers have expressed support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s decision to step down from a presidential panel investigating sexual harassment allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The lawyers argue that Akpabio’s withdrawal was the right thing to do, as his involvement could have been perceived as a conflict of interest.

The panel was established by President Bola Tinubu on April 2nd, 2025, headed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, with a mandate to investigate the serious allegations that have drawn national attention and embarrassment.

Other members of the panel included the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; and one representative each nominated by Senator Akpabio and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu, a prominent lawyer, stated that Akpabio’s decision was honourable and in line with legal principles.

Justifying Akpabio’s action, the one-time president of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), said, what he did was the right thing.

“He decided not to be part of that committee, because if he is, there will be a serious assumption that he is an interested party. So, the best thing is for him to step down, which is the right thing to do,” Unegbu stressed.

Unegbu also questioned the necessity of the investigation, saying, “For a country like this, with all human and material resources, with so many things available in this country, with good weather, with everything going for us, we are supposed to be a big world economy, a big world power. But unfortunately, because of the type of leaders we have, we are not getting the best out of them. So, my conclusion is that they should close this matter as soon as possible so that the country can make progress.”

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Another lawyer, Adedotun Otakumaiya, echoed similar sentiments, saying Akpabio should be commended for respecting the law.

Otakumaiya, who is the Principal Partner at Deux Loadstar Chambers, Lagos, said rather than blame Akpabio, he should be applauded for respecting the position of the law in such a matter.

“I personally would say we get carried away by emotions. Because we must be able to separate the legal requirements from political requirements. The legal requirements, which preaches equity, equality and justice. The law says that you have to recuse yourself from a case because you can’t be a judge and jury in your own case,” Otakumaiya maintained.

Otakumaiya also acknowledged the complexities of politics, noting, “On the other hand, he’s a politician and the political arena is hardly guided by any law. You have to use your connection, your influence to make sure you get the results you want.”

Waxing philosophical, the Ogun state born lawyer, said, “It’s not impossible for people to come up with a lot of presumption, assumption, negotiation, renegotiation behind doors, outside. A lot of statements like. But nobody actually knows the exact thing that happened behind, after, or on the negotiation table. What we know, what we always get is the end result. Whatever ways that are used in arriving at an end result, we don’t know.

“The fact is, he is the Senate President, and you can’t take that surface away from him right now. You can’t take the kind of power and influence he has because he is the one that is going to form the committee. He is the one that gives them the instruction that bestows powers upon them. So if I am in that position, I’ll bring people I know I can control. But within the ambit of the law, what he has done is right,” Otakumaiya reiterated.

Both lawyers emphasised that Akpabio’s decision to recuse himself from the panel was in line with legal principles, but acknowledged that the complexities of politics might lead to different outcomes.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday gave reasons why he will not step down over allegations of sexual harassment.

Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, in March accused Akpabio of having allegedly sexually harassed her in 2023 and demanded the Senate President should step aside to allow for unbiased probe of the allegation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions.

Akpabio replied Akpoti Uduaghan while responding to comments by the Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele that some people had called on him to step aside notwithstanding the work the 10th Senate is doing.

Bamidele referenced the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar for saying there is no need for a security summit being planned by the Senate over insecurity in the country.

The Minister, during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, said while such gatherings could provide useful input, they cannot substitute for well-thought-out military strategies.

“On the summit, yes, strategy is far more important than summit. But summit will give you some inputs for the strategy. When you hold a summit, you have people, they talk. We take what they expect, and we go back to design or renew our strategy,” the Minister said.

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Akpabio said stepping down would predispose him to suffer irreversible injury or make him a bad example or injustice should he be found to be innocent of the allegation at the end of the day.

Responding to Bamidele, Akpabio said: “I would not have answered you, but for the fact that you said those who would have asked you to step down. Who told you I was going to step down?

“You know, if you watch the colour of America, there are black people because of their skins who went to prison, some for 25 years for false allegations.

“So, I’m not one of those people who will step down over false allegation then when eventually it is proven that the allegation is false, they will say, oh, well…

“I’m not that bad. So, if you had that in mind, please cancel it. So, having said that, I must thank you for, for the words that you have spoken today.”

On comments by the Minister of Defence, Akpabio said the Senate would respond at the appropriate time.

He said the Minister should not have taken his objection concerning its planned security summit to the public domain.

Akpabio said: “But I also know that in the course of your speech, you did not indict, but you reported the other Minister of Defence to, I think the Senate will look into that issue.

“If defence has any issue with any resolution of the Senate, it shouldn’t do so in the market. It should get in touch with Senate President or the Senate Elders. It should get in touch with us, not to go and speak in the open. And it will amount to Executive Legislative Brouhaha. So, we will pick that up at the appropriate time.”

In his comments after the passage of the two remaining Tax Reform Bills by the Senate, Bamidele said he not averse to criticism as an elected public official.

He said despite the herculean task of passing the Bills, there are persons in some quarters who don’t see anything good in the 10th Senate.

Bamidele said: “I was elected into office to be criticized. We are not opposed to that. But when people falsify things about us, when people deliberately try to call us out, I don’t know what to do.

“But it’s true and Mr. President, the task of all these we have just passed is a great example of how we work. The young public, it is almost 7 p.m. now.

“We have been focused on trying to start reforms. But let it be noted again that these bills were first presented to us in November of 2024 and we had our first reading November 2024.

“Our second reading assured the Nigerian public that having done the second reading, we are going to commit these bills to public hearing.

“We are working with relevant stakeholders to ensure Mr. President, that we had the first and second reading in November.

“I want to emphasize that between our second reading of this bill and today, we have had different engagements with different stakeholders, ranging from the executive arm of government and people in charge of the presidential taskforce to members of civil society and professional organizations, some of whom took part in our public hearing.

“There have been a series of meetings. There have been a series of engagements. Even as a Senate, we set up our own committee, seasoned senators, who had engaged in various aspects of public life.

“And the fact that in rounding up yesterday, we spent more than half of the day in closed-door session. Why are we doing all of this? It is because we recognize that the times are unusual for our country and for the global economy and we chose to remind ourselves constantly that this is not the time to grandstand.

“And that as a parliament, we must do everything possible to cooperate with other arms of government to ensure that we are able to give impetus and the legal framework governance in this.

“People should not mistake our unintentional decision not to grandstand for being a rubber stamp parliament. As some people would be eager to describe us as a parliament.

“And we are focused as to what we are going to spend the rest of our time here doing. We are concerned about the national security of our country. And that’s why listening to the Honorable Minister of Defence yesterday, describing as unnecessary our resolution to hold a national security summit, I thought that was funny.

“And my only message to the Honorable Minister is that it is a resolved national security summit. Some of the security summits in the past did not go any far. Because if the Honorable Minister in charge would even think it was not necessary for us as elected representatives to want to hold this summit, then I’m concerned.

“But we are concerned by the fact that we know that there is a new sheriff in town and an elected president who understands the need to work with the parliament and who will not take for granted the rest of the parliament.

“I therefore say to the Honorable Minister, when it is time to hold a national security summit, you should be eager to honor our invitation. And finally, let me just say that we remain focused.

“Having passed the tax reforms Bills, we are moving on to work on electoral reforms. And we are moving on as well to work on constitutional reforms. We are very clear as to our mandate and our agenda.

“We will continue to do what we have to do in the interest of the Nigerian people who elected us here. And we are not going to allow anything, not even us distracting ourselves.

“We will come in here as serious people who understand our rules, who will guide ourselves by those rules, who know that we are privileged to be here. The Senate is an institution and is bigger than any individual.

“I’m sure you know, sir, that those who felt that by now this Senate would have asked you to step down, have seen now seen that we are focused on what we are doing.

“And at whatever the level of allegation against any one of us, we will always ask for evidence and we will do what is in overriding public interest.”