The face-off between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio which began with a row over reported adjustment of the sitting position of the female senator, finally culminated in her suspension on Thursday, last week.
Senator Natasha’s suspension by the Senate has generated reactions across the nation.
Some Nigerians have however, differed with the action of the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate in suspending the female senator simply because she alleged a case of sexual harassment against the Senate president.
To some Nigerians the suspension is “a rush assignment” and “the process shows where it was heading.”
Some women groups have reportedly spoken out against the action of Senator Akpabio-led Red Chamber of the Nigeria’s National Assembly.
Given the nature of events leading to Senator Natasha’s suspension, it may be important to ask whether a citizen let alone, a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria no longer has the right to free speech especially, when such rights are allegedly being trampled? In this context, it will be recalled that Natasha featured on a television programme where she hinted what allegedly transpired in conversations between her and Akpabio, as well as how her motion (or is it bill?), was subsequently not listed for her to present same on the floor of the Senate.
In view of the combined provisions of Section 39(1) and 22 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution As Amended, issues partainining to freedom of expression, and the obligations of the mass media to uphold fundamental objectives, and the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people, are clearly outlined.
If the Senate president felt injured or impugned by Natasha’s reported comments, his best bet would be to head to court by instituting a case of defamation against his colleague, Senator Natasha. And where a legal action had already been instituted, the parties ought to wait for the outcome of the court process.
Another step would have been to involve security agencies in the investigation. The security agencies would possibly investigate if there have been any communications like phone calls between the Senate president and Senator Natasha, and root for the content of such communications. They could also examine CCTV cameras where necessary to unravel the truth.
Nigeria Newspoint sees the Kogi Central female senator’s issue as purely a Natasha versus Akpabio brouhaha rather than Natasha versus the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The practice of quickly suspending a lawmaker by presiding officers like speakers or Senate president, has gradually become a recurring decimal in both chambers of Nigeria’s legislative houses.
Frequent suspension of lawmakers invariably repercutes on the development and progress of the constituency or senatorial district where a suspended senator or lawmaker represents.
It is also the view of this newspaper that in every legislature, the presiding officer such as the speaker of a state assembly, speaker of the House of Representatives, Senate president, or leader of a local government legislative council, is only a ‘primus inter pares’ or first among equals. He should avoid seeing himself as lord.
All senators are equal because the Principle of Equality of States allows
representation in the Senate on the basis of each state sending three senators to Abuja