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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the alleged attempt by the National Assembly to bar the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, from resuming at the Senate, after her six-month suspension.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, yesterday, was reacting to a letter from the National Assembly management imploring the Kogi senator not to resume pending the conclusion of the case regarding her suspension by the court.
The Senate had suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan in March for six months after a spat between her and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over the sitting arrangement in the Red Chamber.
The face-off soon escalated into a legal battle after the senator accused Akpabio of allegedly harassing her sexually, with the former challenging her suspension by the parliament.
The opposition party, yesterday, urged Akpoti-Uduaghan to prepare to resume at the Senate when the National Assembly resumes from its annual vacation later in the month.
However, in a reply signed by the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, Natasha was informed that her suspension was still active and tied to a pending case at the Court of Appeal.
The parliament said no administrative action would be taken until the Court of Appeal delivers its decision. The Senate stressed that her suspension cannot be reviewed until the judicial process is fully concluded.
The Kogi lawmaker was assured that she would be officially informed of the Senate’s final position once the case is resolved.
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“The matter, therefore, remains sub judice, and until the judicial process is concluded and the Senate formally reviews the suspension in the light of the court’s pronouncement, no administrative action can be taken by this office to facilitate your resumption.
“You will be duly notified of the Senate’s decision on the matter as soon as it is resolved,” the letter read.
But the PDP noted that “the attempt to use the National Assembly establishment against an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) and the Standing Rules of the Senate is highly provocative and constitutes a clear and present danger to democracy and overall stability of our country.
“It also comes as part of the antics being deployed severally by the APC-controlled Senate and the Federal Government to suffocate the opposition, which further confirms the creeping totalitarianism in our country under the APC government.
“The reported action by the Clerk of the National Assembly against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan further brings to the fore the allegations of attacks on the right of women and sustained attempts to stifle their voices, as witnessed in the various accusations of harassment against women levelled against the current Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over the years.
“The PDP demands that the Senate President should come clean on the various allegations instead of seeking to use the National Assembly establishment to further harass, intimidate and keep Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan away from the Senate.
“The extreme persecution of six months suspension unjustly imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, contrary to the Rules of the Senate, is more than enough, and the PDP stands with the people of Kogi Central and all well-meaning Nigerians in condemning this unwarranted renewed attack on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.”
It also called on the International Community, democracy institutions, among others, to rise up against the alleged renewed attack on Akpoti-Uduaghan.
