By Our Reporter
Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, has called on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, to challenge her suspension by the Senate, which he deems illegal. This comes after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against the Senate leadership and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Adeyanju condemned the Senate’s decision, describing it as an attempt to suppress the allegations without a proper investigation. “I urge my dear sister and friend, Akpoti-Uduaghan, to take legal action against her unjust suspension,” Adeyanju said. “Women who seek change often face such challenges within corridors of power and even in religious institutions.”
The lawyer argued that by suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, the people of Kogi Central have been denied adequate representation. “She must resist any attempt to silence, bully, or intimidate her,” Adeyanju emphasized.
The activist went on to question the Senate’s authority to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan, stating, “The same democratic process that elected many of the Senate’s members is the same process through which Natasha was chosen. The Senate leadership is meant to be ‘first among equals’ and should not abuse its power to undermine the representation of the people.”
Adeyanju also expressed his discontent with how the Nigerian Senate handled the allegations, claiming that it demonstrated a clear violation of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s rights and a disregard for the democratic principles the nation strives to uphold.
“It is unacceptable that neither Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan nor Akpabio were allowed to appear before the committee for a fair investigation,” he added. “This lack of due process mirrors the troubling practices we see in our electoral system, where results are announced in the dead of night without proper scrutiny.”
Adeyanju emphasized that the Senate must thoroughly investigate the allegations and give Akpabio the opportunity to defend himself and cross-examine Akpoti-Uduaghan. “Sweeping such serious allegations under the rug only perpetuates a culture of silence and raises serious questions about the Senate’s commitment to integrity and transparency in its investigative process.”
It is worth noting that on Thursday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan re-presented a petition alleging sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio before the Senate during plenary. The Senate had previously dismissed her initial petition to the Committee on Ethics as “dead on arrival,” prompting the re-presentation. Subsequently, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without salary.