Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, on Tuesday, described as embarrassing the Senate’s decision barring Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming legislative duties despite completing her six -month suspension.
“I find the letter of the Senate embarrassing. I find it scandalous. I find it contentious. And I find it very disparaging of the sensibility of the Nigerian people because it is simple,” Mr Effiong said Tuesday evening on Channels Television’s prime time programme, ‘Politics Today.’
He also faulted anchoring the Senate’s decision on pending case at the Court of Appeal regarding Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal challenge to her suspension in March.
He said the pending appeal could not serve as a basis to stop her from resuming after serving the punishment apportioned to her exhaustively.
“Having now served for six months, the issue of suspension has elapsed by operation of law. Suspension no longer exists because it is a definite appeal,” Mr Effiong said.
On 4 August, the National Assembly wrote a letter to Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that she could not yet resume legislative activities despite the expiration of her six-month suspension from the Senate.
It was the second time the National Assembly would prevent her from resuming from the suspension. In July, her attempt to resume based on a court judgement was rebuffed.
‘Personal battle’
Mr Effiong pointed out that the saga between Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, leading to her suspension and refusing her to resume her Senate duties was driven by personal ego, which he noted was evident in the lawlessness of the Senate.
He accused Mr Akpabio of using his office to pursue a “personal vendetta.”
“It now calls into question whether really there was a modicum of veracity in what Natasha said,” the lawyer said.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment.
“This is a personal matter. Nigeria should stop making it about the legislative institution. This is a personal grievance between Senator Akpabio, who is the Senate President, and Senator Natasha. He is now using his office to achieve his own agenda,” Mr Effiong said.
He advised the Senate President to allow time and history to vindicate him.
Mr Effiong also criticised the Senate, noting that its actions towards Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan would turn the country into a laughing stock in the global community.
He stressed that it was unfair for Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituency to suffer for six months simply because she refused to change seats. He stated that there was “no law in support of it.” The Senate had anchored its decision to suspend Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan on the altercation she had with Mr Akpabio during the 20 February Senate proceedings where she protested the seat allocated to her.
Mr Effiong advised the Senate to recall her immediately.
Similarly, earlier on Tuesday, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asked her to disregard any attempt by the management of the National Assembly to prevent her from resuming legislative duties, having already served her suspension period.
The PDP condemned the National Assembly’s position, describing it as an attack on women’s rights.
Background
Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan launched her legal action on 3 March, initially, to halt an investigation by the Senate and its Committee on Ethics into alleged misconduct stemming from Senate proceedings where she had an altercation with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over her assigned seat.
She sued the Clerk of the Senate, the Senate, Senate President Akpabio and Neda Imasuem, who is the chairperson, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct.
Despite the suit and the initial restraining order issued by the former judge Obiora Egwuatu asking the Senate to stay action on its disciplinary proceedings, the Senate proceeded to suspend her on 6 March for six months.
While pursuing the suit, Mrs Uduaghan-Akpoti alleged at various fora that she was targeted as part of alleged sexual harrassment she faced from Mr Akpabio.
On 11 March, Akpoti-Uduaghan reported her suspension and alleged sexual harassment by the senate president to the Inter-Parliamentary Union during its meeting in the United States.
Her suit led to the judgement delivered in July by Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court held that suspending an elected senator for six months was not only disproportionate but also effectively silenced an entire senatorial district for most of the legislative year.
However, the judge controversiallly toned down her order, framing it like an advisory that left the Senate with the discretion to recall or not to recall her.
READ ALSO: PDP urges Akpoti-Uduaghan to disregard NASS directive, prepare for resumption
On 12 July, Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan notified the management of the National Assembly of her intention to resume legislative duties based on the judgement.
However, on 13 July, the National Assembly management maintained that the judgement by the Federal High Court was merely advisory, not an enforceable order.
Despite this, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, accompanied by her supporters, was blocked from entering the National Assembly premises.
The Senate said that it could not reinstate her.