Saraki, SERAP fault Akpabio over Natasha’s suspension

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Nigeriao Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have cautioned Senate president, Godswill Akpabio over the suspension of senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

This came as former Senate President, described the suspension as “cheap politics and trivialising of a serious issue” the claim by Senator Akpabio that the call on him to ensure that transparent and open process was instituted to investigate the accusation levelled against him was an attempt to remove a Niger Delta person from office.

Meanwhile, SERAP, urged the Senate to rescind the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan or be sued.

After many criticism, Akpabio gave a warning when he received a delegation from the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum in Abuja.

His remarks followed the recent suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, for violating Senate rules, a decision that Akpabio emphasised was unanimously supported by lawmakers.

Expressing concern over the growing trend of uninformed commentaries on television and social media, Akpabio said: “People who have no understanding of Senate procedures are the ones running commentaries on matters they know nothing about. You should seek the facts before making public statements. We advise members of the public to stop misquoting the rules of the Senate.”

He also criticised those outside the legislature for attempting to interpret Senate procedures, likening it to a herbalist trying to quote the Bible or someone unfamiliar with Islamic teachings attempting to interpret the Qur’an.

Responding to concerns raised by Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr, leader of the delegation, Akpabio highlighted the historic significance of his role as Senate President, noting that the Niger Delta had last held the position 46 years ago.

He said: “The Senate President does not represent himself alone, he represents a region that is crucial to the economic survival of this country. So, we will not toy with this position, regardless of any opposition maneuvering.”

Don’t politicise call for due process in senate— Saraki

Meanwhile, Saraki, in a statement by the head of his media office in Abuja, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, yesterday, said: “The attention of the Saraki Media Office has been drawn to the statement made by Akpabio while addressing the leaders of some “youth ethnic groups” on Friday that certain individuals from Kwara and Adamawa states want him removed because he is from the Niger Delta region.

“Ordinarily, Dr. Saraki would have ignored the statement as a sign of the times in which we now live.

However, its underlying motive of politicising and trivialising a serious issue that threatens the integrity, credibility, and importance of the legislature is the reason we think we should not allow the Senate President to create a misleading impression of the issue at stake in the all-important institution that the National Assembly represents in our democracy.

“Dr Saraki in his comment on the Akpabio/Akpoti-Uduaghan crisis never called on the Senate President to resign or step aside. Rather, he urged the Senate President to be conscious of the fact that perception is reality and therefore, he should avoid treating the allegations by the Senator in a manner that will create the perception that the Senate as an institution is trying to cover up issues bordering on sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and abuse of office.

“Also, Dr Saraki made it clear that his intervention was neither about Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan that her claim was right or wrong. He stated that since the Senator has gone public with such serious allegations against the presiding officer, the image of the institution should be saved through an honest, sincere, open, transparent, and unbiased investigation.”

“Again, Dr. Saraki is of the firm belief that his suggestions are for the benefit of the legislative institution. So, he will repeat the same suggestion no matter where the Senate President comes from and whichever party he belongs to. It is not because the incumbent is a member of the APC, while the former Senate President is from the PDP or that the former is from the South-South zone while the latter is from the North Central zone. Far from it. It is disingenuous and crude to describe Dr Saraki’s comment along those primordial lines.

SERAP to Senate: Rescind unlawful suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan or face court
SERAP, yesterday, in a statement by its Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, said: “No one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission’. Being a senator does not deprive Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.

“Punishing Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for peacefully expressing herself is unlawful, unnecessary and disproportionate. Her suspension would also have a disproportionate chilling effect on the ability of other members of the Senate to freely express themselves and exercise their human rights.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel you and the Senate to comply with our requests in the public interest.

“Suspending Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan for peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression has made her opinion in the Senate ineffective.

“The unlawful restriction of Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to freedom of expression has indirectly violated Nigerians’ right to receive information and ideas and seriously undermined the right of her constituency to political participation.”

Senate can’t suspend Sen Natasha beyond 14 days—Maku, PDP chieftain
On his part, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State and former Warri North Local Government Council Chairman, Chief Francis Maku has insisted that the Senate lacks the powers to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan beyond 14 days, saying it violates the rights of her constituents.

Maku described the six months suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as harsh and doesn’t reflect the principles of fair hearing and freedom of speech as enshrined in the 1999 constitution which supersedes any other laws.

He said: “The Senate is a respected public institution and must not be seen as a biased establishment where equal right of fairness is not given to a particular constituency thereby depriving the people of Kogi Central their rights of proportional representation in governance.”

Calling on the Senate to rescind its decision and reinstate Senator Akpoti -Uduaghan, he said: “In Senator Ali Ndume v. Senate (2018), the Court of Appeal ruled that the Senate lacks the power to suspend a Senator beyond a reasonable period (often not exceeding 14 days), as it violates the rights of the constituents.

“The National Assembly has a responsibility to build the image of the nation in the international arena by accommodating all petitions and treating all Senators equally. The people of Kogi central cannot be left behind without a voice in the Red Chamber in the desperation of few to achieve unrealistic conclusions.”