Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has expressed disappointment that she was prevented from contributing to the debate on the Criminal Code Amendment Bill, sponsored in the House of Representatives and presented for concurrence by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, which proposes stiffer penalties for individuals found guilty of aiding or procuring abortions.

The senator said she felt excluded from a conversation that directly concerns women’s rights and health.

“I am disappointed I wasn’t allowed to speak about an issue that concerns women,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said on Tuesday, according to TheCable’s report.

“I am a woman, a mother, and I feel like I should have been recognised to speak, especially as we were only two women in the senate today during plenary; myself and Senator Banigo.

“My hand was up throughout the debate and I felt that the senate president should have recognised me.”

She added that she remains passionate about issues affecting women and intend to make her inputs when the bill reaches the committee stage.

Akpoti-Uduaghan recently returned from a six-month suspension.

She was suspended from the red chamber on March 6 for gross misconduct. She had refused to apologize, but preferred to serve out the six months suspension-punishment.

Arsenal took a giant step with a Champions League victory by blowing away Atletico Madrid 4-0 thanks to a devastating second-half broadside at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

What had been a compelling clash with little between the sides became an Arsenal rout with goals by Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and a brace from Viktor Gyokeres leaving Diego Simeone’s side shell-shocked.

Shortly after Julian Alvarez hit the crossbar for the visitors, Gabriel broke the deadlock by heading in a Declan Rice free kick in the 57th minute.

Martinelli finished off a sweeping move seven minutes later and Gyokeres then prodded his first goal of the night via a deflection as Arsenal ran riot, the Swede ending a nine-game scoring drought for club and country. Gyokeres then bundled in his second as Atletico were again unable to deal with a set piece.

Former Minister of Interior and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be defeated in the 2027 General Elections based on the analysis he has done.

The former governor of Osun State and one of the key players of the African Democratic Congress ADC spoke yesterday in Ilorin after the commissioning of the party’s state secretariat.

He stated, “If the APC is truly confident in its strength, it wouldn’t need to aggressively hunt down the opposition. Their actions across Nigeria suggest otherwise, as they are intimidating our members everywhere, from Lagos to Kebbi to Kaduna.

“How can we interpret what APC is doing all over Nigeria to us? They are harassing and intimidating everyone of our members, not just our leaders but nationwide, be it Lagos, Kebbi, Kaduna.

“If they genuinely believe in their popularity, they would remain calm, but the opposite is true. They know they are not well-liked, and the ADC will benefit from this unpopularity.

By the grace of God, the ADC will take over leadership in Nigeria and many states.” He also claimed, “The governors joining the APC are known enemies of the people, and their presence is unwanted.”

The former Interior Minister also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of being intolerant of opposition voices and using state power to silence dissent.

Aregbesola said the APC had failed Nigerians through greed and incompetence, which, according to him, had plunged the country into hunger, insecurity, and infrastructural collapse.

“Under the current administration, hunger has taken over the land. Governance has been reduced to personal enrichment and political intimidation. Nigerians are suffering because of the failure of leadership at all levels under the APC,” he said.

He alleged that the ruling party had become oppressive towards opposition figures, describing its conduct as undemocratic.

He described the ADC as a “party of conscience and service,” saying it represented the only credible alternative for Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Also speaking, the immediate past governor of Kwara State, who dumped PDP to join ADC, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, said that his party is prepared to take over mantle of leadership in the country.

“This is the beginning of a new direction in our political experience. The ADC is poised to entrench a party that reflects the true aspirations of Kwarans,” Ahmed said.

On his part, the ADC National Publicity Secretary and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the Peoples Democratic Party as a “dead party awaiting its obituary,” insisting that only the ADC now stands as a viable opposition to the APC.

He said, “The question is no longer whether Kwarans want the APC; that question has been answered. They don’t. The question now is whether we can convince them that ADC is the only alternative and that’s exactly what we’ll do in the coming elections.”

Abdullahi also lamented rising insecurity across Kwara communities, saying the menace had crippled farming and disrupted rural livelihoods.

“Our people can no longer farm safely. The government must do more to restore peace and ensure that the lives of citizens are protected,” he said.