In a decent clime, when an allegation as grievous, demeaning and damaging as this Senator Natasha’s is made, it is logical and fair enough to create an ambience for the supposed victim to get justice, considering the fact that her assailant (Senator Akpabio) is the Senate President/ Presiding Officer.
Then, it defies logic why Akpabio was the judge in his own case!
Since the day the Natasha/ Akpabio sexual harrasment feud was made public, some of us who are keen watchers of the unfolding scenerio have maintained an ignorant silence due to the magnitude of the weighty allegation from a feminine distinguished colleague.
As the impasse lingers on, it is without doubt that there was a clandestine move to cover up the allegation as tissues of lies and fabrication to smear the image of the Senate President, National Assembly and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the opposition.
My initial fear was later confirmed when plenary resumed on Thursday.
To my consternation, all interested parties had expected Akpabio to recuse himself. The norms should be, an independent person should take over as the Presiding Officer. Then, justice would have been seen to be done.
Alas, he was the judge in his own case!
In his characteristically emperor – like demeanour, Akpabio had initially threatened to suspend Senator Natasha for her refusal to drop the microphone and relocate to her new seat.
He thereafter pronounced Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan (Kogi Central, PDP) suspended for six months for ‘disorderly misconduct’ unbecoming of a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Yes, I agreed that IF Senator Natasha had indeed erred, punishment should be meted out accordingly.
But on this one, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition in active connivance with Akpabio has shown to the whole world that the female gender doesn’t have a say in whatever that affects them negatively.
If Natasha had actually violated the standing rules of the upper legislative chamber, how come the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition not constitute a public & independent committee to investigate the sexual harrasment allegation, rather than be on the side of the Senate President who seems to have curried virtually all the legislators and silence dissenting voices!?
I ask, has the last hope of the common man suddenly turned to a ‘Banana Republic’ where opinions are suppressed paving the route for bourgeoisie to always have their say & way, irrespective of the negative feedbacks?
It is, therefore, imperative to state that Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan’s supposed suspension is a rape on our very nascent democratic dispensation.
I call on civil society organisations and individuals who have a stake in a greater Nigeria to mediate in this ugly trend in the upper legislative chamber where some few individuals are perceived to be “all – powerful’ while the female gender in which the Kogi Central legislator represents must be seen to be subservient and impotently gagged.
As a concerned Nigerian who means well for the oneness, unity and progress of one indivisible entity named Nigeria, we must inculcate values that are sustainable and healthy in the eyes of the public.
In Nigeria, democracy must be seen to be working and not retrogressively.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan must be treated with utmost respect she truly deserves as a representative of the voice of her Kogi Central Constituents.
– Victor Kabba Bello writes from Dallas -Texas, USA.
