There may likely be another controversy involving the Senate as the spokesperson of the Red Chamber, Yemi Adaramodu, has disclosed that the upper legislative chamber will review recent comments by Senator Adams Oshiomhole on the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi Central.
Speaking in a telephone conversation with The Tide source yesterday, Senator Adaramodu, however, dismissed Senator Oshiomhole’s claim that some senators’ signatures were forged or improperly included in the report that recommended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.
“That is not true. Signatures forged, over what?” he queried.
Recall that Senator Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North, had alleged in an interview on AIT that some lawmakers whose names appeared on the report did not append their signatures to the document.
The former Edo governor cited Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), whom he claimed told him that she only signed the attendance register of the committee meeting and not the suspension report.
“If Senator Kingibe had anything against any procedure, she would report it on the floor of the senate, not to an individual.
“But it is not even true, because I was part of the ethics and public petitions committee that listened to the matter.
“Nobody will say that he or she was coerced or somebody’s signature was forged; that has never happened in the senate and it cannot happen. It has never happened.
“Senators are independent-minded people. We are mature men and women. And if you have any infraction against anybody, that person can, without any advocate from anywhere, that person will show it. So there’s nothing like that. I’m just hearing it for the first time. That’s very strange.
“We are going to review any statements made by him. The senate will take a cursory look at either extraneous, spontaneous or intentional comments from any senator appropriately.
“We are going to look into it. We will take a stand and everyone will know where we stand. But we can say no senator has reported that his or her senator was forged during the Natasha matter.
“It was debated on the floor of the senate openly at the plenary in the full glare of every Nigerian and even the international audience, and so nothing to hide.
“All Nigerians knew where we stood then on the issue of Natasha… that she ran foul of the senate’s orders. And we are orderly because we are bound by orders of the senate,” he pointed out.

Senate has again approved a three-month extension implementation period for capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from June 30 to Sept 30.

This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno (APC- Borno) at plenary yesterday.

Monguno, moving the motion, said the extension became necessary given the unutilsed substantial funds released to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for implementation of projects under the 2025 budget.

According to him, delays caused by procurement processes, project implementation challenges and administrative procedures had slowed the execution of several critical government projects.

Monguno said many strategic projects across key sectors of the economy were already at advanced stages of completion and required additional time for execution, certification and payment.

“Failure to extend the implementation period of the 2025 Appropriation Act may result in the abandonment of critical projects, the wastage of already committed public resources and the disruption of ongoing government interventions,” he said.

He argued that some allocations contained in the budget might not be accommodated in subsequent appropriation cycles if the implementation window expired.

This, he said would create funding gaps and ultimately undermine development objectives.

He said that extending the validity period of the budget would improve budget performance, facilitate the efficient utilisation of released funds and support economic growth.

“Granting a further extension of the implementation period is in the national interest and will ensure value for money in public expenditure,” he said.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Solomon Adeola (APC-Ogun), supporting the motion, explained that the extension was specifically targeted at the capital component of the budget.

According to him, when President Bola Tinubu presented the 2025 budget to the National Assembly, there is an understanding that 30 per cent of the budget implementation will be completed by March 31, while the remaining 70 per cent will be rolled into the 2026 budget.

Adeola said that the implementation timeline was not fully achieved, prompting the National Assembly to earlier extend the budget’s lifespan to June 30.

“While we were passing the 2026 budget, due to the non-implementation of that promise, we were forced to extend the budget to June 30,” he said.

He said although payments had commenced, significant obligations remained outstanding.

“There is a need to extend this budget beyond June 30 to September 30, by then, we are hopeful that the outstanding 30 per cent will have been paid in full, while implementation of the components transferred to the 2026 budget can commence.”

Adeola urged senators to support the extension to ensure proper implementation of projects and prevent disruptions to government programmes.

Sen.Victor Umeh  (NDC-Anambra), who seconded the motion cited the need to sustain the execution of projects captured under the 2025 Appropriation Act.

“In view of the need to sustain the continued execution of the projects covered in the 2025 Appropriation Act, as amended, I hereby second the motion,” Umeh said.

Following deliberations, Senate President Akpabio put the proposal to a voice vote and it was overwhelmingly adopted by the lawmakers..

Akpabio in his remarks said the decision was necessary to prevent interruptions in payments and project execution.

“The payment would have stopped halfway if this was not done,” he said.

The Senate President commended the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and other lawmakers involved in handling the matter.

He directed that the Senate’s resolution be transmitted to the executive for implementation.

“Accordingly, the resolution of the Senate is being communicated to the Executive that the 2025 Appropriation Act has been extended to Sept 30.

The National Assembly had earlier extended the implementation period of the 2025 budget to June 30, following delays in the release and utilisation of capital funds.

Senate, thereafter, adjourned plenary to July 7.

The member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, Frederick Agbedi, yesterday emerged as the new Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

Agbedi’s emergence follows the resignation of former Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda of Rivers State, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, creating a vacuum in the leadership structure of the opposition caucus in the Green Chamber.

His nomination was contained in a letter transmitted to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, by the minority caucus during plenary, yesterday.

In the letter, the caucus announced that its members had reached a consensus on the replacement of vacant principal offices allocated to opposition parties in the House.

Abbas, while reading the letter said, “The election of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria, the minority members of the 10th Assembly hereby unanimously nominate the following members by consensus to fill the vacant positions of the minority in the parliament.

“Number one is the Minority Leader, Hon Frederick Agbedi.

“Number two is the position of minority whip, and the person they have endorsed is Hon Mansur Soro (APM, Bauchi).

“The last but not the least is my brother from the North-West, Hon Abdussamad Dasuki (ADC, Sokoko) for the position of Deputy Minority Leader.

“Honourable colleagues, today the body of principal officers is complete, and I want to seize this opportunity on behalf of the whole entire House to congratulate the three people and to wish them all the best in their new positions.”

With the development, Agbedi assumes the responsibility of coordinating opposition lawmakers in the House and articulating the position of minority parties on legislative matters before the chamber.

A ranking lawmaker and one of the longest-serving members of the House, Agbedi has represented Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency since 2011.

His appointment is expected to strengthen the voice of the opposition caucus at a time when defections and realignments continue to reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Also announced was the emergence of Hon Mansur Soro of the Allied Peoples Movement as Minority Whip and Hon Abdussamad Dasuki of the African Democratic Congress as Deputy Minority Leader, completing the minority leadership structure in the 10th House.

Speaking after the announcement, Abbas congratulated the newly appointed principal officers and pledged the cooperation of the House leadership.

“The leadership of the House will work with them assiduously in ensuring that we achieve our legislative agenda objectives of this very important 10th Assembly,” he added.

The emergence of the new minority leadership comes amid recent changes to the House Rules governing the selection of principal officers. The amendments, which introduced fresh eligibility requirements, have generated debate within opposition ranks and influenced the contest for key leadership positions.

Shortly after the announcement, a lawmaker from Imo State who had been nominated for the position of Minority Leader last week, Ikenga Ugochinyere, formally withdrew from the race.

He cited the amended House Rules and the new eligibility criteria for principal officers as the basis for his decision.

The latest appointments are expected to restore stability within the opposition bloc following weeks of uncertainty triggered by Chinda’s defection and the subsequent scramble for leadership positions.

Political observers believe the new leadership team will face the immediate challenge of forging unity among lawmakers drawn from different opposition parties while providing effective legislative scrutiny of the executive and the ruling APC-dominated parliament.

For the PDP, which remains the largest opposition party in the House despite recent defections, Agbedi’s emergence is seen as a strategic move aimed at maintaining cohesion within the minority caucus and strengthening its influence in parliamentary proceedings.