The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, to disregard the national assembly’s directive barring her from resuming legislative duties.
BACKGROUND
Akpoti-Uduaghan had, in a letter dated August 28, notified the clerk of the national assembly of her intention to resume on September 4, which, according to her, marked the end of her six-month suspension.
The lawmaker argued that the federal high court had in July declared the suspension “excessive and unconstitutional” and ordered her recall.
She added that the expiration of the suspension entitled her to resume her “full duties as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” without prejudice to the appeals filed at the court of appeal.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also demanded immediate access to her senatorial office, citing constitutional obligations and the need to prepare for plenary resumption.
She said her request was based on the need to review pending legislative business, catch up on committee assignments, attend to constituency issues and prepare for parliamentary sessions.
However, in a reply dated September 4, Yahaya Danzaria, acting clerk of the national assembly, rejected the senator’s request.
Danzaria said Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension took effect from March 6 and remains a subject of litigation before the court of appeal.
“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,” the acting clerk wrote.
‘CREEPING TOTALITARIANISM’
But in a statement issued on Tuesday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, asked the senator to defy the national assembly’s directive.
Ologunagba said the national assembly’s directive is “highly provocative and constitutes a clear and present danger to democracy and the 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 statement reads.
“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.”
Ologunagba asked Senate President Godwill Akpabio to “come clean on the various allegations instead of seeking to use the national assembly establishment to further harass, intimidate and keep” Akpoti-Uduaghan away from the upper legislative chamber.
“The extreme persecution of a six-month 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,” he said.
He asked the national assembly clerk to withdraw the letter and “play by the rules by being neutral as a bureaucrat and not allow himself to be politically entangled and used as a tool to undermine democracy and the rule of law”.
Ologunagba urged the international community, democratic institutions, and rights advocacy groups to condemn the “renewed attack” on Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Ologunagba asked the senator to “discountenance the reported letter by the clerk of the national assembly and get ready to resume at the senate”.
The PDP spokesperson said the senate leadership must allow Akpoti-Uduaghan to “resume her duties and perform her roles as an elected senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria unhindered”.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the senate for gross misconduct on March 6, following a seating arrangement altercation with the senate president.
The national assembly resisted previous attempts by Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume.
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