Opinion
Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan: “This injustice will not be sustained”
This morning I woke up with a burden in my heart concerning the lingering case of defamation filed in two different courts against an illegally suspended Senator -Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan by the Federal government of Nigeria.
It’s a worrisome and disturbing situation because I can’t understand the yardstick behind the double standards being played by the Federal government of Nigeria in the case involving two sitting Senators- one, a woman who has alleged that she was sexually harassed by the other -the Senate president – Apkabio and as a result of the allegation, she was summarily and hurriedly suspended so as to silence her, despite court injunction to the effect that she shouldn’t be suspended. In the first place, several previous court judgements have made it crystal clear that suspension of any legislative representative, either upper or lower Chamber is illegal and unconstitutional.
To worsen the situation and to make her vulnerable, her security details were withdrawn on the order of the Senate President whom she accused of sexual harassment, which is another overreach, an action beyond his constitutional power as SP. And even if he’s bestowed with such power as SP, he ought not to be the Judge of his own case.
The salient questions baffling my mind which I implore everyone that stands for truth to critically look at are,
1. Are we operating a constitutional democracy or a democracy backed by unwritten decree only known and administered by selected few-” the supreme council members”?
2. Are there constituencies that are more superior to others in the Nigerian constitution ?
3. Are some Senators superior to others?
4. Are the Nigerian Police now under the Senate President to give directive to or under the Presidency?
5. Why has Senator Natasha’s several petitions to the IG of police about threats to her life thrown aside without investigation?
6. Why has the same case of defamation against Natasha filed in two different courts with discrepancies in the line up of witnesses?
7. Are some people above the laws of the land why others are vulnerable and liable to be punished by the same laws?
These and many more questions need to be a puzzle in our hearts as Nigerians under a “democratic system of government”.
I urge the President of Nigeria as the father of all Nigerians to step into this case at this point to withdraw it from the court, because it’s already becoming a clear case of some set of people acting above the law against a fellow citizen – a female Senator for that matter.
It’s becoming a national shame in the comity of nations .
I have a feeling that Mr president has not been clearly and sincerely briefed on this whole issue, otherwise, he would have realised that this case is all about protection of a personal ego and fear caused by unnecessary overreach as a result of power drunkenness, not about his interest as they might have portrayed it to him.
As a citizen of Nigeria from Kogi Central, I must say that the illegal suspension of Senator Natasha from the Red Chamber for six months was premeditated before the execution. This is an open fact for all to see as the video tape is in the public domain for all to see how the SP made the pronouncement that they should immediately prepare her suspension letter right there in the Senate plenary- unilateral decision taken by the man above the law.
This illegal action taken against our Senator – Natasha, The best Senator of the year, really affects us negatively and has seriously marginalized our constituency in the Red Chamber for no just course, other than to silence her voice for selfish and egoistic reasons.
It’s so pathetic that this level of gross injustice could be happening under this administration.
Having said all this, I want to believe that the relevant authority would step in and do the needful, and in any case “This injustice will not be sustained.”
Isiaka S. Fache writes in from Abuja
