The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.

Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.

Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.

In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.

However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.

Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.

Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.

“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.

The Presidency yesterday faulted the United States Government over its claim that Nigeria failed to reciprocate its five-year, multiple-entry visa policy.

It also dismissed reports claiming that President Bola Tinubu cancelled the issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas for United States citizens, describing such claims as “misinformation and fake news.”

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made these remarks yesterday in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu Never Stopped The 5-year Non-immigrant Visa For Us Citizens.’

He said “We want to reiterate that the US government’s claim of reciprocity as the reason for its current visa policy towards Nigeria does not accurately reflect the actual situation.”

The Presidency clarified that Nigeria continues to grant five-year non-immigrant visas to US citizens under existing bilateral agreements and reciprocal arrangements.

It also accused online sources of misrepresenting the current visa regime.

“Contrary to misinformation and fake news circulating online, President Bola Tinubu has never stopped issuing 5-year multiple-entry visas for US citizens, in accordance with the principle of subsisting bilateral agreements and reciprocity,” the statement read.

This follows recent adjustments by the United States to its non-immigrant visa policy for Nigerians.

Recently, the US government revised its visa policy for Nigerian citizens, reducing most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visa categories—such as B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), F (student), and J (exchange)—to single-entry, three-month validity.

This marked a sharp departure from the previous two- to five-year multiple-entry visas that Nigerians were eligible to receive.

The changes took immediate effect, although existing visas issued before July 8 remain valid until their original expiration.

The U.S. Embassy in Abuja explained the decision as part of its global visa reciprocity policy, which aims to ensure that visa treatment of U.S. citizens is mirrored by the host countries.

According to the embassy, Nigeria does not currently offer U.S. citizens visa terms equal to those previously granted to Nigerians, prompting the adjustment.

The U.S. stressed that reciprocity, not retaliation, was the basis for the change.

However, the Presidency said the notion that the Tinubu administration halted the policy is incorrect.

“Immediately after assuming office, President Tinubu’s administration issued a service-wide directive that Nigeria implement all bilateral agreements with other nations and adhere to the principle of reciprocity in diplomatic relations,” the statement stated.

The presidency also addressed recent confusion surrounding Nigeria’s introduction of a 90-day e-visa, clarifying that the shorter visa validity applies only to the newly introduced digital visa-on-arrival system, and not to standard visa categories.

“The 90-day single-entry visa validity period only applies to the newly introduced e-visas, a short-term visa category for tourists and business people who may not wish to undergo the standard visa application process and wait.

“The e-visa replaces the now obsolete visa-on-arrival, which was inefficient and often used as a means of extortion,” the presidency explained.

It argued that the e-visa, which is delivered online within 48 hours, aligns with Tinubu’s broader push to boost trade, tourism, and ease of doing business in Nigeria.

However, it noted that the US has yet to reciprocate Nigeria’s e-visa policy.

“Although Nigeria has an e-visa policy for citizens of the US and several other countries, the US has not reciprocated this gesture for Nigerians,” it said.

The Presidency affirmed that Nigeria remains committed to resolving the issue through diplomacy.

It said, “In the spirit of cooperation, mutual understanding, and partnership that have characterised the relationship between Nigeria and the United States over the decades, the Tinubu-led administration will continue to dialogue and engage with US authorities to resolve any issues that have led to the recent developments.”

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court, yesterday.

Tinubu urged him to unify the state and accelerate the delivery of good governance.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

“President Bola Tinubu congratulates Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State on the affirmation of his election by the Supreme Court.

The Tide reports that the Edo State governorship election took place in September 2024, and Governor Okpebholo was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Supreme Court, as the final arbiter, upheld the election of the governor yesterday.

Following the conclusion of all legal challenges regarding the 2024 election, Tinubu called on the governor to embrace all citizens of the state, irrespective of political affiliations.

“President Tinubu encourages Governor Okpebholo to be magnanimous in victory and rally the citizens of Edo across divides towards a singular vision of advancing the state’s development,” the statement read.

With the legal battles now behind, the President advised the governor to intensify his governance agenda.

“The President advises that now that the governor has cleared the legal hurdles, it is time for him to accelerate the delivery of exceptional services and good governance to the people of Edo State, which he has already begun to do,” the statement added.

Tinubu also congratulated members of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Edo State for the legal victory.

Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, Dapo Abiodun, has also hailed the Supreme Court’s affirmation of Okpebholo as Governor of Edo State, describing it as a well-earned victory.

Abiodun, who stated this in a statement issued on behalf of the forum in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, said the verdict had laid to rest any insinuation that the victory of Okpebholo, who won the September 21, 2024, governorship election with 291,667 votes, defeating his closest challenger, Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,655 votes, was a fluke.

He said that with the apex court’s verdict, the Edo State Governor now has the opportunity to devote full attention to actualising the agenda for which the Edo electorate gave him an overwhelming mandate, without any political distractions.

Abiodun stated, “On behalf of my brothers in the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), I heartily welcome the verdict of the Supreme Court today, Thursday, affirming what Edo State people and Nigerians had known all along, namely that on September 21, 2024, Edo State voters gave Governor Monday Okpebholo a mandate to pilot their affairs for the next four years.

“The verdict shows that, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and earlier validated by the Election Petitions Tribunal, the Court of Appeal, the legitimacy of Governor Okpebholo’s mandate cannot be questioned.

“No doubt, this victory is great news for democracy in Nigeria, for the people of Edo State, for our great Party the All Progressives Congress, and for good governance and the development of our dear country.

“Democracy may be imperfect but it represents the best form of government available to us as a people, and there is no doubt that this victory further consolidates and strengthens it Nigeria.

“Significantly, the victory represents the arrival of good things for the great people of Edo State and Nigeria as a whole.

“I have no doubt in my mind that the expectations of the people will be fully met by the pro-people, focused and dynamic government of my dear brother, Governor Monday Okpebholo.”

However, the ex-governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s judgment.

In a statement issued via X shortly after the verdict yesterday, Obaseki thanked the people of Edo State and Nigerians for their support, while insisting that the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, won the governorship election held on September 21, 2024.

“I am profoundly grateful to the good people of Edo State and Nigerians for their overwhelming support for the victory, which we believe our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie, won,” Obaseki stated.

The former governor noted that the PDP pursued legal redress through all available judicial channels, beginning with the Election Petition Tribunal, then the Court of Appeal, and finally the Supreme Court, due to their conviction that the results were manipulated.

“But unfortunately, and most surprisingly, all the courts have ruled against us,” he said.

Obaseki acknowledged the binding nature of the verdict despite strong disagreement.

“Although we strongly disagree with the decision of the Supreme Court, but as adherents to the rule of law, we are bound by their verdict,” he said.

He warned, however, that the manner in which the election was conducted and judicially validated could endanger Nigeria’s democracy.

“We want to caution that the iconic manner in which the Edo election was manipulated, coupled with the judicial validation it has received, portends grave danger for Nigeria’s democracy,” he added.

The governor concluded by urging faith and perseverance.

“As people of faith, we leave our matter in God’s hands, trusting that only He knows the appropriate time and manner to deliver divine justice and redemption to our people. I encourage our people to keep hope alive as we persist in the struggle to redeem our fatherland,” he said.

The Supreme Court, yesterday, upheld the election of Okpebholo, dismissing the appeal filed by PDP’s governorship candidate, Ighodalo.

A five-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Lawal Garba, ruled that the appellants failed to prove their claims of over-voting, non-compliance with the Electoral Act, and other electoral irregularities.

The court held that Ighodalo failed to substantiate his allegations, challenging results from only 395 of the 4,519 polling units and calling 19 witnesses whose testimonies failed to aid his case.

Justice Garba stated that there was no convincing evidence to overturn the decisions of the Election Petition Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, which had both affirmed Okpebholo’s victory.