The Peoples Democratic Party on Friday condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi Central) by the Senate.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months following allegations of improper behaviour exhibited against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The party, in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the action of the Senate leadership against Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan smacked of desperation to cover up.
It urged the Senate to redeem its image and integrity by immediately reinstating Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan and ensuring an open investigation into the matter.
The PDP stated, “The hasty suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, without an open investigation into the weighty allegation of sexual harassment against the Akpabio, negated the principle of fair hearing, especially in parliamentary convention. The action also portrays the Senate as an institution that endorses, condones and offers protection to reprobacy.’’
The party added that the “excessively-harsh” six-month suspension placed on Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan translated to denying the people of Kogi Central Senatorial zone their constitutional right of being represented in the legislative body.
“It is scandalous, and amounted to gross abuse of office and violation of the fundamentals of justice and fair hearing, for Akpabio to sit as a judge in a matter in which he was the accused,” the party said.
The PDP further said the situation validated public apprehension of desperation by Mr Akpabio to suppress open legislative probe into the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against him.
It pointed out that the allegation by Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan would not be the first time Mr Akpabio was accused of sexual harassment.
The party noted, “If Senator Akpabio has nothing to hide, what Nigerians expected of him was to clear his name. He should clear his name by stepping aside, in line with established parliamentary practice, allow and submit to an open and unbiased investigation into the allegation of sexual harassment by Akpoti-Uduaghan. It is indeed a national embarrassment that the person of the Senate President and chairman of the National Assembly is being mentioned in a case of sexual harassment, which has now tarred the image and integrity of the highest lawmaking body in Nigeria. Ordinarily, under this situation, the Senate President needs no prodding to step aside for an independent investigation to clear his name.’’
