ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate over her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio as smacks of desperation to cover up.
Condemning the suspension, the party stated that Akpabio must submit himself for an open investigation and that the President of the Senate cannot sit as a judge in a case in which he is the accused.
The PDP, in a statement issued by its spokesman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, stated that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s immediate suspension without an open investigation into the serious allegation of sexual harassment against the President of the Senate not only violates the principle of fair hearing, particularly in parliamentary convention, but also portrays the Senate as an institution that endorses, condones, and protects reprobation.
“Also, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension is excessively harsh, denying the people of Kogi Central Senatorial Zone their constitutional right to be represented in the Senate.
“It is scandalous, and amounts to gross abuse of office and violation of the fundamentals of justice and fair hearing for Senator Akpabio to sit as a judge in a matter in which he is the accused; a situation that validates public apprehension of the embattled Senate President’s desperation to suppress an open legislative probe into the sexual harassment allegation levelled against him,” the party said.
The PDP recalled that Senator Akpabio has previously been accused of sexual harassment, adding that “the current episode in the Senate reminds Nigerians of the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against Senator Akpabio by the former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Joi Nunieh.
“If Senator Akpabio has nothing to hide, Nigerians expect him to clear his name by stepping aside in accordance with established parliamentary practice, allowing and submitting to an open and unbiased investigation into Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment.”
The party added, “It is indeed a national embarrassment that the person of the Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly is mentioned in a case of sexual harassment, which has now tarnished the image and integrity of Nigeria’s highest legislative body.
“Ordinarily, in this situation, the Senate President requires no prompting to step aside for an independent investigation to clear his name.
“More distressing is the fact that, since Senator Akpabio took office as Senate President, the Senate leadership has been largely unfocused and constantly embroiled in scandals, including allegations of financial impropriety as well as negligence and abdication of its constitutional duty of checks and balances to the Executive Arm’s excesses to the detriment of millions of Nigerians.
“Moreover, Nigerians can recall that there are pending investigations before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of looting of N108.1 billion belonging to Akwa Ibom State under Senator Akpabio’s watch as Governor, as well as an alleged N86 billion contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.”
Given the height of public concern over this sexual harassment allegation, which has already sparked protests at the National Assembly, the PDP urged the Senate to restore its image and integrity by immediately reinstating Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and conducting an open investigation into the matter.
