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Sen. Akpabio acted in line with Senate rules”–Niger Delta Coalition insists …Accuses Natasha of repeated disrespect to Senate rules
A group, the Niger Delta Women Coalition, has rose in defence of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio over the Thursday outburst launched by Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the senate over allocation of seats.
According to the NDWC, the Senate President acted in line with the Senate rules by refusing to hear Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan on point of order from the old seat as senators are not entitled to be heard if they’re not speaking from their allocated seat pursuant to the Rules.
The Niger Delta Women Coalition led by the President, Mrs Ebiere Thompson and Secetary, Barr Inemesit Ukpong, the outburst of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan against the Senate President,Senator Godswill Akpabio is a sacrilege and enough is enough.
The NDWC in a statement issued via electronic mail states that “For the second time in less than a year, we have watched with shock as Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the Senate, has disrespected the person of the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio and the office he occupies.”
“According to reports, ‘Mrs Natasha Akpoti was given a new seat by the Chief Whip who has the routine work of allocating seats to senators whenever occasion demands. With the recent cross carpeting of two Senators from the left wing to the right wing, the Chief Whip decided to reshuffle seats and this affected Mrs Akpoti’s seat alongside several other senators. Only Mrs Akpoti however refused to vacate her former seat and this forced the Chief Whip to bring her refusal to the floor.”
“The Chief Whip then raised a point of order citing several provisions of the Senate Rule that empower him to arrange seats whenever necessary and the rule that senators are not entitled to be heard if they’re not speaking from their allocated seat pursuant to the Rules.”
” The Chief Whip’s point of order was adopted and ruled favorably by the Senate President. When Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan sought to intervene, the President ruled that she couldn’t speak from her old seat until she resumed her allocated seat.’”
“Rather than act with respect and decorum by moving to her seat, she threw caution to the dogs and ranted against Senator Akpabio who was presiding at the session. Attempts by other senators to calm her down were futile.”
” Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan created a scene which brought the hallowed Senate of the Federal Republic to disrepute. It looked more like a scene from Nyanya market. The fact that the Senate is a place of honour where members conduct the sacred affairs of state with dignity did not resonate with her.”
“This is the second time she has brought the Senate to disrepute. The first time was last year when she spoke without being recognised by the presiding officer. When the Senate President who was presiding told her to follow the rules because they were ‘not in the club’, she blew a fuse.”
“We are moved to react this time for some reasons: One, the show of disrespect that Senator Akpoti Uduaghan exhibited at the plenary yesterday shows that being disrespectful and behaving without decorum is in her character. It means that the first act of last year was not a one off behaviour.”
” Two, we expect that Senator Akpoti who is a wife of the Niger Delta should exhibit certain virtues and values like respect for elders, endemic to the region. Three, we expect that anyone who has risen to the office of a senator of the federal republic should observe a minimum standard of decency.”
” Four, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, is a man of honour and a distinguished statesman who deserves the respect of any right-thinking Nigerian, irrespective of gender, age and political affiliation.”
“We have it on good authority that her latest misbehaviour is a reaction to her removal as Chairman of the Local Content Committee. This is most unfortunate as senate committee chairmanships are not birth rights but a call to serve the country.”
“We want to put it on record that we find Senator Akpoti Uduaghan’s behaviour abhorrent. She is not the only female member of the Senate. Other distinguished women are there but they have conducted themselves with decorum. Rather than make herself out into a nuisance, she should follow good example.”
“Senator Akpoti Uduaghan is lucky that she is not representing a senatorial district in the Niger Delta. Were that the case, we, the women of this region, would have initiated a recall to remove her from the Senate so that she would no longer be a reproach to us. We call on her constituents to call her to order.”
“We believe it is necessary to issue this warning that the women of the Niger Delta region will no longer tolerate any behaviour on her part, which brings the women of the region into disrepute. The region has a history of producing great women in politics. She should learn from them.”
“Senator Akpoti Udughan should purge herself of this reproach by apologising unreservedly to Senator Akpabio. Apart from being the President of the Senate, Senator Akpabio is also the political leader of the Niger Delta. We would not tolerate nor permit any person, no matter how misguided, to disrespect his person or his office. Enough of this sacrilege.”
Energy experts in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector have defended the pricing structure of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, accusing some fuel markers of attempting to blackmail the refinery and mislead the public over the recent increase in petrol prices.
The experts said reports suggesting that the refinery’s latest adjustment is solely responsible for the recent hike in fuel prices were misleading, noting that importers are also bringing in petrol at almost a N1,000 per litre, while the refinery’s coastal price is N948 and the gantry or ex-depot price stands at N995 per litre.
They stressed that public comparisons fail to consider the differences in pricing structures and supply channels.
According to the experts, N948 per litre represents the coastal delivery price, which refers to petroleum products transported by marine vessels or barges from the refinery to depots along the coastline. On the other hand, N995 per litre represents the gantry or ex-depot price, which is the rate paid by marketers who load petrol directly from the refinery into tanker trucks at the loading gantry for onward distribution across the country.
The experts explained that the two figures should not be interpreted as conflicting prices but rather as different logistics arrangements within the petroleum distribution chain.
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, energy expert David Okon said the pricing adjustments were inevitable given prevailing market conditions.
According to him, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals operates in a deregulated market and procures crude at international prices, which have risen sharply due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
“The refinery is already absorbing part of the cost to cushion the impact of the crisis on Nigerians. We can see what is happening in other parts of the world where shortages and scarcity are being reported despite higher prices, yet the Dangote Refinery has continued to guarantee domestic supply,” he said.
Okon explained that when the refinery previously sold petrol at N774 per litre, crude oil was landing at about $68 per barrel. However, with crude now arriving at roughly $95 per barrel, the cost difference of about $27 per barrel translates to nearly N40,000 per barrel when converted to Naira.
“You cannot expect a refinery to continue selling at the old rate under those circumstances,” he added.
“If imported products were truly cheaper, importers would still be selling at the previous prices.”
He warned that without local refining capacity, Nigeria could have faced severe fuel shortages, long queues at filling stations and a resurgence of black market sales.
“Without the Dangote Refinery, many filling stations would likely shut down, queues would return across the country and black market traders would exploit the situation, hawking four litres keg at N20,000 or more. The refinery has effectively prevented that scenario,” he said.
Another analyst, Mohammed Ibrahim, also faulted narratives circulating in some quarters suggesting that the refinery’s pricing adjustment was responsible for worsening economic hardship in the country.
Accusing some importers of attempting to manipulate public perception, he said, “What we are seeing is nothing but deliberate blackmail by some fuel importers who feel threatened by local refining.
“They are twisting the pricing structure to mislead Nigerians and create unnecessary panic in the market.
“By exaggerating the refinery’s gantry price and ignoring the comparable costs of imported fuel, they are trying to make it appear as though Dangote Refinery is the cause of rising prices and economic hardship. This is a calculated attempt to protect their import businesses and undermine local refining, which is meant to reduce our dependence on imported petrol.”
Ibrahim added that such narratives were aimed at portraying the refinery as the reason Nigerians were struggling with higher petrol prices.
He stressed that petrol pricing in Nigeria is largely influenced by global crude oil prices, exchange rate fluctuations, and distribution logistics, noting that these factors affect both locally refined and imported fuel in the country’s deregulated market.
Afolabi Olowookere, Managing Director and Chief Economist at Analysts’ Data Services and Resources (ADSR) Limited, explained that although Nigerians expect refined products from the refinery to be significantly cheaper, prevailing market realities such as global crude oil prices, the cost of crude supply and refining margins make substantial price reductions unlikely in the short term.
“Therefore, improving domestic crude allocation to the refinery would strengthen supply stability and enhance the long term benefits of local refining for the economy,” Olowookere noted.
Recent conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions along key shipping lanes have tightened global oil supply, pushing crude prices past $90 per barrel, a development that directly raises the cost of both imported and locally refined petrol in Nigeria.
The unrest has pushed up fuel costs and transportation in several countries, including Ghana, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, and Japan, as rising crude prices increase the cost of refining, distribution, and logistics globally.
CHETACHI NWOGA-ECTON EMPOWERS 300 WIDOWS IN IMO
A renowned humanitarian and proud daughter of Mbaise in Imo State, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton, has empowered over 300 widows and vulnerable women across the Owerri Zone, in a remarkable demonstration of compassion and service to humanity.
The empowerment programme, which took place at the Palace of the Eze of Ngor Okpala, HRH Eze Engr. Fredrick Nwachukwu, brought together community leaders, traditional rulers, women groups and beneficiaries from different communities within the zone.
During the event, the widows received food materials and cash support, aimed at helping them meet basic needs and strengthen their small-scale businesses.
The initiative was widely applauded as a timely intervention to support women who often face severe economic hardship after losing their spouses.
Many of the beneficiaries expressed heartfelt appreciation to High Chief (Dr.) Nwoga-Ecton, describing the empowerment as a lifeline that would help them take better care of their families.
Some widows, while offering prayers for the philanthropist, noted that the gesture had restored hope and dignity in their lives.
Fondly known as Ada Imo and Adaure, High Chief (Dr.) Princess Chetachi Nwoga-Ecton has earned widespread admiration for her consistent humanitarian efforts both within Nigeria and internationally.
Through her philanthropic activities and foundations, she has continued to support widows, children, and vulnerable communities with interventions in healthcare, welfare and economic empowerment.
Community stakeholders who attended the programme commended the Mbaise-born philanthropist for her generosity and dedication to uplifting the less privileged, noting that her actions reflect true leadership and compassion.
Observers say the initiative further reinforces her growing reputation as one of the most impactful humanitarians of this generation, whose commitment to humanity continues to inspire hope across Imo State and beyond.
UNITED KINGDOM OF ATLANTIS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF ACTING ADMIN KING OF THE UKA THRONE
March 6, 2026 – In a landmark royal decree, the Office of the Minister of Information & Culture of the United Kingdom of Atlantis (UKA) has announced the appointment of His Imperial Royal Eminence, King Sir Benny Terry Danson, as the Acting Admin King of the UKA Throne. The nomination was issued through an official directive from the UKA Throne and is intended to pave the way for King Sir Benny Terry Danson’s eventual ascension to the title of Official Emperor Admin of the Throne, subject to the completion of necessary formal and constitutional processes.
The UKA Throne emphasized that the appointment underscores its unwavering commitment to competence, dedication, and integrity as the guiding principles for all administrative functions within the government structure. Officials stated that the decision is a strategic move to reinforce national leadership and accelerate the kingdom’s vision of becoming a more efficient, progressive, and unified nation.
The new Acting Admin King will oversee initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable growth, improving public service delivery, and promoting collective national development among citizens and followers of the UKA. The government expressed deep appreciation for the continuous love, loyalty, and support shown by the populace, noting that public engagement is essential for the kingdom’s shared prosperity and advancement.
Further details regarding the formalization of the appointment, including ceremonial schedules and administrative timelines, will be released to the public in due course through official communication channels.
Report Highlights:
– Nominee: King Sir Benny Terry Danson, Acting Admin King.
– Objective: Transition toward becoming Official Emperor Admin of the UKA Throne.
– Focus: Strengthening governance through competence, dedication, and integrity.
– Impact: Expected to drive national efficiency, progress, and unity.
– Next Steps: Official ceremonies and constitutional procedures to follow.
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