Akpoti-Uduaghan: IPU shouldn’t succumb to blackmail against Nigerian Senate—Sen. Adeola

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen Solomon Adeola(APC, Ogun West), has urged  the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)  not succumb to  what he called   blackmail against  the Nigerian Senate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is serving a six-month suspension, had accused the Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of power.

Not pleased with her suspension ,Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central ),on Tuesday, approached  the IPU, a United Nations agency, to lodge a complaint against the  Senate and Akpabio.

However, IPU,s President, Mr  Tulia Ackson, assured that  the agency  would only  take necessary steps after hearing  both sides.

Ackson , in a statement, acknowledged Akpoti-Uduaghan’s concerns ,but stressed the need for procedural fairness by hearing Akpabio’s side as well.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Adeola  said that Akpoti-Uduaghan should not  see  herself as bigger than the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 10th Senate is gender-friendly through many of its passed bills and motions , female lawmakers in the Senate are not  suppressed, silenced or oppressed as all honour and courtesies due any senators are accorded to them within and outside the Red Chamber.

“I want to call on the International Parliamentary Union, IPU, not to be  forced   into doing anything that will diminish the status of the parliament as the bastion of democracy.

“IPU should not succumb to being used as an instrument of blackmail against a national institution of parliament.” he said.

The third-term senator explained that the  the Senate did the right thing  in Akpoti- Uduaghan ‘s case, insisting  she was suspended for flagrant violation of the Senate’s Standing Orders and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He accused  Akpoti- Uduaghan  of  not exhausting the internal mechanisms available to her for any grievance before approaching the  IPU.

According to him, with the suit  against the Presiding Officer of the Senate and the Senate, the Senate will  take further action on the matter only after the   suit she filed has been decided in court.

“The Senate, as an institution, derives it power from the Constitution to make rules for its orderly conduct.

“And the Legislative House( Powers and Privilege) Act 2018 grants the Senate the  right  to conduct its affairs as an arm of government free from judicial encumbrances.

“The outcome of its decisions can be challenged but the Senate cannot be stopped from functioning as an arm of government,” Adeola said.

He said that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegation of sexual harassment against Akpabio allegedly occurred over a year ago.

Adeola said that such allegations, without concrete evidence against the Principal of the Senate and the Chairman of National Assembly amounted to an attack on the institution of Nigeria’s parliament.

The senator commended Mrs Khafilat Ogbara, the House of Representatives Committee Chairperson on Women Affairs and official Nigeria representative at IPU for her stance on the matter.

Adeola said that Ogbara saw the issue from the right  perspective by backing the suspension , adding that  happy that the” IPU President did not swallow the allegations of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan hook, line and sinker.”

“The institution of Senate is bigger than all the present members and will outlive all of the members in due course,” he added.. (NAN)