Wife of Nigerran President, Oluremi Tinubu, has reacted to the recent events in the country’s Senate.

According her, the Nigerian Senate remains a “matured” institution that must be treated with respect, adding that women should not put themselves in situations where men would talk to them anyhow.

The First Lady stated this while speaking with journalists at the State House Abuja on Thursday, according to a statement by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi.

Having served in the Senate for 12 years, Nigerians needed to know Remi’s stance on the issues of sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and subsequent suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

She spoke ahead of International Women’s Day, and in doing so, the former lawmaker dismissed concerns over the Senate’s handling of issues, insisting lawmakers are “doing what is needful.”

Senator Oluremi Tinubu said the chamber should be a place of honour, not controversy, urging Nigerian women to assert themselves in leadership.

She said, “I know with what is going on in the Senate, you may say, why am I not taking a position? I believe that the Senate is doing what is needful, because that’s what it is.

“It is an inside place and it’s a matured chamber. It’s a mature chamber, and it should be treated with respect. It’s an honour for you to be in that place alone.

“I was there for 12 years, even in my younger days, and I’m still trying to look young, but people compliment you all the time, only that, women raise yourself, don’t be in a position that men will be talking to you anyhow”.

The Supreme Court has explained that it restored the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly because a House of Assembly must be formed as stated in the 1999 Constitution.

In the 62-page Certified True Copy of its judgment obtained on Thursday in Abuja, the apex court ruled that there was “no iota or shred of evidence” to prove that the 27 lawmakers defected from the People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

On February 28, the court stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant-General of the Federation from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government until the House of Assembly is properly formed according to the law.

Justice Emmanuel Agim, who signed the judgment, stated that the Constitution does not support Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to recognize only four members as the authentic House of Assembly.

The court explained that Fubara initially accused the 27 lawmakers of defecting but later “voluntarily withdrew the allegations” at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

According to the court, since the allegation was withdrawn, “no defection had taken place,” and the Assembly must continue as it was.

The judgment stated that it would be “unlawful” for Fubara to engage with any Assembly other than the one led by Martins Amaewhule.

The court added, “What is clear from the above concurrent findings is that the eighth respondent (Fubara) started the prevention of the sittings of the Rivers State House of Assembly constituted by the number of members as prescribed by Section 96 of the 1999 Constitution long before the issue of the remaining 27 members defecting to another political party arose.

It further ruled that Fubara’s claim of defection was a cover-up to justify his illegal actions, describing his reliance on the doctrine of necessity as a “red herring” aimed at destroying the Assembly and the rule of law.

The judgment stated, “The doctrine of necessity cannot be invoked to justify the continued existence of a deliberately contrived illegal or unconstitutional status quo… It applies to genuine situations that were not contemplated in the provisions of the Constitution or any law, which situations require the taking of some legitimate extra-constitutional or extra-legal actions to protect the public interest.”

The court criticized Fubara’s actions, saying, “A government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the Government of a State under the 1999 Constitution… In this case, the Executive arm of the Government has chosen to collapse the Legislature to enable him to govern without the Legislature as a despot. As it is, there is no government in Rivers State.”

It also ruled that political disagreements cannot justify attacks on the rule of law, stating, “What the eighth respondent has done is to destroy the government because of his fear of being impeached.”

The court dismissed Fubara’s cross-appeal, affirming the decision of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2024.

It ordered that the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant-General should “forthwith stop releasing and paying to the Government of Rivers State, its organs, departments, and Officials any money belonging to Rivers State until an Appropriation Law is made by Rivers State House of Assembly constituted as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution.”

The court directed that Martins Amaewhule and the 26 lawmakers should “forthwith resume unhindered sitting” as Speaker and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

It added, “The Rivers State House of Assembly should resume sitting with all elected members forthwith.”

United States President Donald Trump has vowed to address the “massive trade deficit” that reached record levels under former President Joe Biden.

The United States trade deficit surged in January, Biden’s final month as president.

Imports into the United States rose by 10 per cent to $401.2 billion, while exports increased by 1.2 per cent to $269.8 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal.

However, the all-time high trade deficit of $131.4 billion was 34 per cent greater than the $98.1 billion deficit recorded in December.

In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump wrote: “Massive Trade Deficit with the World, just announced, compliments of Sleepy Joe Biden! I will change that!”

Meanwhile, during his speech to a joint session of Congress earlier this week, Trump stated that Americans would benefit from tariffs in the long term.