₦airaland Forum

FOR the 181 days that constitute its legislative year, the Nigerian Senate has been needlessly embroiled in the Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan suspension saga, which has deprived the Kogi Central Senatorial District of representation. Therefore, the Senate and its leadership should end the impasse immediately.

Indeed, if the list of legislative activities in the Senate in the last six months is compiled, the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan over sexual allegations and seating arrangement issues will vie for the lead.

Contrary to its mandate, the Senate is trivialising the weighty issues of development confronting Nigeria by concentrating on shutting out Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The standoff began over a disputed seating arrangement between the embattled senator and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Her protest prompted the Senate to walk her out of the chamber for disobeying the Senate President.


Akpoti-Uduaghan petitioned the Senate, alleging that Akpabio was humiliating her because she rejected the sexual overtures he made to her, insisting that her suspension was politically motivated.

Akpabio denied the allegations. The Senate thus placed her on a six-month suspension in March.

While Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken her case to the courts and other platforms to vacate the suspension to no avail, the Senate has spoken through its relevant officers, insisting that the matter has nothing to do with sexual allegations but everything to do with the embattled senator’s contravention of the rules of the lawmaking body.

The Red Chamber justified the six-month suspension despite the court ruling to the contrary. This unnecessary dissipating of energy and wasting of legislative time over a simple matter of seating arrangement is needless.

Binta Nyako, judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in July, described the six-month suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional” and ordered the Senate to recall the embattled senator.

It is extremely harsh for the Senate to suspend a member for 180 days out of its 181 legislative period, thus exposing the constituents to non-representation during the period.

Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to return to the Senate but was denied access. The upper chamber insisted that she must serve her full term.

After serving out her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a letter dated August 28, notified the Clerk of the National Assembly of her intention to resume on September 4.

While the world was expecting the Senate to accept Akpoti-Uduaghan back, the upper chamber wrote to her through the Acting Clerk to the NASS, Yahaya Danzaria, notifying the embattled senator that her six-month suspension subsists until the Court of Appeal delivers judgement in the suit she instituted against the Senate.

Some lawyers condemned the Senate’s decision, saying the upper house is “petty,” “vindictive,” and “overreaching itself.”

The court case being referred to relates to the six-month suspension, as to its validity and constitutionality.

The Senate’s handling of the Akpoti-Uduaghan saga undermines the purpose and essence of democratic representation and lawmaking.

Denying Akpoti-Uduaghan entry into the Senate after serving out her suspension violates Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution, which gives her constituents the right of representation.

Previously, the Senate suspended some members, including Ovie Omo-Agege, Abdul Ningi and Ali Ndume.

The purpose of denying her resumption until the pending case is resolved when she has served out her six-month suspension in full is unclear, since the prayer before the Court of Appeal is about the legality of her suspension.

If Akpoti Uduaghan wins the case under reference, taxpayers will be paying for the arrogance of the Senate.

This legislative impunity disenfranchises a people, diminishes democracy, and gives the country a bad name.

Consequently, the Senate should allow Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume duty.

Better still, the Red Chamber, from which demonstrable maturity is expected, should find an amicable political solution to the impasse. The Senate must show leadership and discretion while eschewing pettiness.

https://punchng.com/end-the-natasha-impasse/

1234t

Natasha herself took the matter to the court of appeal thereby providing the Senate with Excuse to further delay her return

From All indication Natasha is not ready for peace..... I doubt if she will resume this year

See wetin the first comment Dey talk… what happened to other people before her that took the matter to court?

lol…their problem…when the going was good dem no call us…when akpabio dey send prayer inside their account dem no call us

Benbellamor:
Natasha herself took the matter to the court of appeal thereby providing the Senate with Excuse to further delay her return

From All indication Natasha is not ready for peace..... I doubt if she will resume this year

Where did you all emerge from?

If a lower court delivers a judgment and the party is dissatisfied with the outcome, does the law not afford her the right to seek redress by appealing to a higher court

The so called impasse was caused by Natasha herself and she can end it herself. It is pertinent to note she was the one who went to court who ruled the suspension is legal and she was wrong to breach senate rules. She then chose to appeal the judgment and as a lawyer she knows a party to the court proceedings cannot act on a matter that is before the court.

She can end it if she wants to end it but having not proven the sexual allegations she claimed she had proof of, she is now engaging in theatrics and co-opting the gullible including sadly the punch to give support to a cause which does not exist.

Stop giving her oxygen. When and if she is ready she will do the needful.

Natasha isn't tired yet.

She took the matter to court and also stormed the senate chamber with the likes of Aisha(Hushmummy).

She will learn to comport herself the more next time.

As for her political career after now, is in the hands of God.

Benbellamor:
Natasha herself took the matter to the court of appeal thereby providing the Senate with Excuse to further delay her return

From All indication Natasha is not ready for peace..... I doubt if she will resume this year

wetin this one dey talk, if you don't know what to say, just keep quiet, people like you are the reason all these politicians see misbehaving as normal thing

To sensible people that looks beyond being emotional , they know Natasha is her problem .
The emotional game wont work

The problem we have is that 99% of the time, there has to be clarification about what has been said. How can we have a body or an institution that is always right and how do we divorce the person from the position?

She actually shot herself. No be everything be gragra. Some issues are better approached with sense and diplomacy and that doesn't mean you're weak. If care is not taken, she may not return to that hollow chamber before the next general election if the power that be actually mean her. You also don't go making spurious and damning allegations without having concrete evidence to back up your claims. I'm sure she's already liking her fingers and counting her losses.

Benbellamor:
Natasha herself took the matter to the court of appeal thereby providing the Senate with Excuse to further delay her return

From All indication Natasha is not ready for peace..... I doubt if she will resume this year

not ready for peace? Are you for real? She desperately wants her mandates to represent her people restored and Akpabio and his co-conspirators are denying her people the right of representation, they are ego tripping and are trampling on her rights and her people, the allegations against Akpabio are not baseless because he did same to the former NNDC woman, he is one of the highest benefactors of Nollywood actresses, even girls selling pure water on the streets of Akwa Ibom all knows his story as a sexually reckless fellow

Paid advertisement…which development did she cause in her constituency before she was suspended?.infact she performed better as a suspended senator.
6months has gone and people pushing her have not gotten anything to do about her suspension…
I tought her lawyer that thinks the senate is his own chamber said she will resume office when she comes back from UK,so yesufu too cannot do anything for her,her own internet instigators couldn’t do anything too…a wise person will tow the fubara lane,who no take you up can’t keep you up unless they want to pull you down.

She should withdraw the case and apologize. Wisdom is profitable to direct. Fubara had a brain reset and stopped listening to those that misled him. Today, he’s back in office. Natasha needs a brain reset as well but as it stands, that has not happened. She will learn humility by force.

olaolulazio:
Natadha isn't tired yet.

She took the matter to court and also stormed the senate chamber with the likes of Aisha(Hushmummy).

She will learn to comport herself the more next time.

As for her political career after now, is in the hands of God.

Even Natasha herself is not ready to allow herself to breathe.
She should go back to USA and cry louder.

Only God can reinstate her now. There is no more democracy.

The United states people look too now practises autocracy.

I hope sane Nigerians are seeing this.

fixedhollies:
See wetin the first comment Dey talk… what happened to other people before her that took the matter to court?

When you take matters to court, you would wait it out for the court to settle it or withdraw the case from court for out-of-court settlement.

Lietasha started the case and won at the high court. Senate made an appeal to the high court.

Nothing to do here. As stated by the post the Senate is just being a bully, petty,” “vindictive,” and “overreaching itself.

Lietasha should apologise to the Senate and senate withdraw its appeal and let the matter rest.

She has learnt her lessons

Lanretoye:
Paid advertisement…which development did she cause in her constituency before she was suspended?.infact she performed better as a suspended senator.
6months has gone and people pushing her have not gotten anything to do about her suspension…

I couldn't agree less with you. The editorial looks like a sponsored article.

Satazaa:
not ready for peace? Are you for real? She desperately wants her mandates to represent her people restored and Akpabio and his co-conspirators are denying her people the right of representation, they are ego tripping and are trampling on her rights and her people, the allegations against Akpabio are not baseless because he did same to the former NNDC woman, he is one of the highest benefactors of Nollywood actresses, even girls selling pure water on the streets of Akwa Ibom all knows his story as a sexually reckless fellow

Is Natasha Apoti Uduaghan herself not ego tripping?

Is Natasha not criminally accusing several people, including the Senate President, of sexual harassnent without proof?

Since you are also making a spurious allegation, you should also prove it - "even girls selling pure water on the streets of Akwa Ibom all knows his story as a sexually reckless fellow".

Bobloco:
Where did you all emerge from?

If a lower court delivers a judgment and the party is dissatisfied with the outcome, does the law not afford her the right to seek redress by appealing to a higher court

Yes, she has a right to appeal and we appreciate the fact that she exercised it.

So she has to wait this one through, pending the determination of the court case she has instituted in the Court of Appeal.

Akpamu is setting a very bad record for the South South

Please when ever we are bringing allegations to social media and national television, we shouldn't forget to show proof when crying on TV..thank you

Benbellamor:
Natasha herself took the matter to the court of appeal thereby providing the Senate with Excuse to further delay her return

From All indication Natasha is not ready for peace..... I doubt if she will resume this year

Banana Republic citizen spotted. Do away with pettiness and sentiments in all sphere of governance.

Wallade:
Yes, she has a right to appeal and we appreciate the fact that she exercised it.

So she has to wait this one through, pending the determination of the court case she has instituted.

Judging by your tone, you seem quite invested in the matter, perhaps even more than a neutral observer would be. Interested party, maybe?

Did the judgment of the lower court ever state that she’s barred from returning to the Senate after the six-month suspension expires?

casualobserver:
The so called impasse was caused by Natasha herself. She can end it herself. The court ruled the suspension is legal and she was wrong to breach senate rules. She then chose to appeal the judgment and as a lawyer she knows a party to the court proceedings cannot act on a matter that is before the court.

She can end it if she wants to end it but having not proven the sexual allegations she claimed she had proof of, she is now engaging in theatrics and co-opting the gullible including sadly the punch to give support to a cause which does not exist.

Stop giving her oxygen. When and if she is ready she will do the needful.

Stop embarrassing yourself on public platform on issues you have limited knowledge on. Nobody has time to come to your level to start explaining the issue to you please.

Very irrelevant and irresponsible newspaper.

Why did Punch DELETE the expose they discovered about TINUBU and his drug dealer dealings, prior to the 2023 elections? They removed the link and storyline totally from their website

Since then .... anything from PUNCH is totally irrelevant.

Punch Newspaper..stop claiming HOLY when you are indeed a tribal newspaper.

seunmsg:
She should withdraw the case and apologize. Wisdom is profitable to direct. Fubara had a brain reset and stopped listening to those that misled him. Today, he’s back in office. Natasha needs a brain reset as well but as it stands, that has not happened. She will learn humility by force.

With this kind of citizen in this country, when will Nigeria enjoy good governance?

Bobloco:
Judging by your tone, you seem quite invested in the matter, perhaps even more than a neutral observer would be. Interested party, maybe?

Did the judgment of the lower court ever state that she’s barred from returning to the Senate after the six-month suspension expires?

No, the judgement of the lower court didn't state that she can't return to the Senate after six months.

However, what you fail to understand or you deliberately ignore is that: when you appeal a judgement, you mean that you disagree with parts or entirely the judgement and when you file the appeal at the superior court, ultimately you have subjected the entire judgement of the lower court to a review by the superior court.

The effect is that the lower court judgement is suspended pending the determination of the superior Court judgement - in this case, the Court of Appeal.

It is logical for the Senate and Natasha Apoti Uduaghan to wait it out in the Court of Appeal for determination of the case filed. This is the lawful and civil approach to the matter.

If Natasha Apoti Uduaghan wants a political solution to the matter, there would be need to withdraw the lawsuit in the court of Appeal by both teams Senate and Natasha. There will be need for both parties to dialogue to resolve their grievances and move forward as a Senate.

Natasha Apoti Uduaghan is still a senator anyway, she is just suspended.

The limits of tyrants is determined by the resolve of whom they oppressed." The Orwellian anima farm era is here again