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Orji Kalu’s Senate seat was never vacant- Lawan
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, said Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu’s seat in the Senate was never vacant, it was preserved because as it was the right and just thing to do.
Lawan was giving reasons why the Senate did not yield to pressure to declare the seat and position of Kalu vacant during the period of his incarceration.
Mr Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser to the Senate President (Media), said in a statement that Lawan made this known when he received some leaders of thought from Abia.
He therefore, said what the Senate did by preserving Kalu’s seat and his position as Senate Chief Whip, was not extra-ordinary.
The former Abia governor was the Senate Chief Whip when a court in Lagos sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment in Dec. 2019, for fraud during his tenure as governor between 1999 and 2007.
Kalu, who spent six months in the correctional facility, regained his freedom and returned to the Senate following the Supreme Court judgment which nullified his conviction on grounds of lack of jurisdiction by the trial judge.
Lawan told the group that: “There was no way anybody could convince us in the Senate that somebody should take the Abia North Seat because it was not vacant.
“He was on several appeals, and until he exhausted all the opportunities available to him, that seat remained his seat.
“Similarly, we did not even appoint an acting Chief Whip. The Deputy Chief Whip continued to play that role until he (Kalu) was released.
“We came under pressure, of course, but we thought the right thing to do was to keep that seat, that position until he was able to get his judgment.
“It would have been premature, unjust and unfair to declare his seat vacant or his position to be given away because he was in that situation.
“So we did not do anything extra-ordinary, really. We did what was right, what was just, what was necessary.”
The senate president also commended the leaders for the unity and understanding among them and their followers.
“It has been a long time, I have not seen or heard the kind of unity, understanding and desire to move a state forward in a bi-partisan way.
“Our people need us to give them leadership and good governance. They want to have better life, and particularly in Abia, you have a lot of business people, they would like to see their businesses grow and do well.
“Once the leaders are united, it makes it much easier for the follower-ship to remain united and supportive, so that reaching the promised land can be quite easy,” Lawan said.
The leader of the delegation, Sen. Chris Adighije said that the visit was to appreciate the Senate and its leadership for the support to Sen Kalu, Lawan’s media aide said in the statement..
“We want to thank the Senate. It is something that the entire Abia, and indeed the South East, appreciates very much,” Adighije said. (NAN)
By: Fabian Apechihin
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has resigned from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet amid a growing controversy surrounding his academic credentials.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed Nnaji’s resignation in a statement issued late Tuesday.
Nnaji’s exit follows mounting allegations that his academic certificates were forged. Investigations revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), disowned the Bachelor of Science degree he claimed to possess, stating that he never completed his studies at the institution and was therefore not issued any certificate.
According to UNN Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon U. Ortuanya, Nnaji was admitted in 1981 but failed to meet the requirements for graduation.
In a related development, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) reportedly disowned the certificate of national service presented by Nnaji, describing it as fake.
His resignation marks the latest in a series of controversies to hit the Tinubu administration over questions of integrity and accountability among public officials.
INEC chairman, prof. Mahmood Yakubu has concluded his second tenure as INEC chairman today.
After ten years in office, prof. Mahmood yakubu handed over to inec national commissioner, May Agbamuche Mbu, as acting INEC chairman, pending the appointment of a new INEC chairman by the president.
The handing over was made during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners
Israel Launches Heavy Airstrikes in Gaza as Ceasefire Talks Collapse
Tensions in the Middle East have surged once again as Israel carried out a series of heavy airstrikes on Gaza late Sunday night, following the collapse of ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
According to international reports, the strikes targeted areas suspected of housing Hamas infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons storage sites, and command centers. Witnesses described powerful explosions that lit up the night sky, with plumes of smoke and debris rising across Gaza City. Emergency responders have been racing to rescue civilians trapped under the rubble, while hospitals struggle to cope with a growing number of casualties.
The Palestinian health ministry reported several deaths and dozens of injuries, though the exact figures remain unclear amid the chaos.
The renewed violence follows weeks of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas aimed at achieving a durable ceasefire and improving humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Sources close to the negotiations said discussions collapsed over disputes concerning prisoner swaps, border access, and security assurances.
Israeli officials said the airstrikes were a “necessary response” to continued rocket attacks from Gaza, while Hamas vowed swift retaliation.
The United Nations, the European Union, and several world leaders have called for restraint and a resumption of dialogue to prevent the situation from spiraling into a wider conflict. Meanwhile, civilians on both sides continue to bear the brunt of the violence—facing blackouts, food shortages, and growing fear as hopes for peace once again fade.
BREAKING: Tinubu’s Minister, Uche Nnaji, Resigns Amid Certificate Forgery Scandal
INEC Chairman, Yakubu Hands Over
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