The big news in the past week was the suspension for six months of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly. She was also stripped of all rights and privileges throughout the suspension period, and also expected to apologise at the expiration of her suspension to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who incidentally is the man being accused for allegedly harassing her.
In our last comment on this page, we reiterated the fact that, our brand of politics and democratic practice is inconsistent with how other countries go about theirs, given how heated the polity is, virtually at all levels and in many states of the federation. The Senator was accused of disrupting the proceedings in the Hallowed Chambers when the microphone was switched off while she was still standing to make her own presentation on the floor on an issue, she claimed to be important to her constituency, Kogi Central Senatorial District, she represents.
She also alleged that it was not the first, nor the second time the Senate President is dehumanising her in the public glare each time she tried to speak to Nigerians ever since she was elected. We understand that democracy is a form of government that allows everyone to speak his/her mind, and not to talk of a Senator, the representative of her people. What this means is that the culture of impunity is still far from being over in our institutions like the National Assembly, where incidentally, laws are made and are supposed to be obeyed. We expect that members should lead by example. It raises the question about the place of women in a male dominated political scenario, despite the claims of 35 percent affirmative action that seeks to promote gender equality in the body politics.
This development is not about Senator Natasha, but indeed, about the unending power struggle and grabbing at all levels, where people are unnecessarily suppressed by those who think they have the power to do so. Suspending a sitting Senator abruptly, whose case was referred to the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee that never sat for one day is a gross violation of the rule of law governing the Hallowed Chambers. It could also be viewed as contempt of court order that halted any disciplinary action taken against the Senator, pending when her fate will be determined by the court. Beyond that, it is by extension an attack against Kogi Central Senatorial District in particular, and not the Senator, so to speak. The Senate’s decision on this matter may have cast dark shadows on its decision-making process and also elevated injustice, and attack on democratic principles it claims to protect.
It also portrays serious injustice to the system, especially those who seek to question the authority of those above them. If the Senate feels that Natasha’s action during proceedings was gross violation of its standing rule, beamed globally on national television, why did it not wait for the Ethics Committee to do its work? The decision of the Senate is also contrary to the Federal High Court ruling in 2010 which states that, no Senator should be suspended for more than 14 days, so also other various decided cases in the Federal High Courts that support this position.
From what we know, no Senator ever has been suspended up to six months and denied all privileges as is the case of Senator Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan. The question now is; why is her case different and demanded the urgent attention it received by the law makers? There is more than meets the eyes, and that is why we align with those who are saying that an accused cannot be a judge in his own case, and therefore, call for restraint in this matter. While we are not holding brief for any party involved, we want to caution therefore, that our women should not be discouraged if at all politics is for everyone. The Hallowed Chambers should be seen as gender-friendly.
Speaking out should not be taken as an offense against anybody, no matter what, especially those who are elected to represent us. The women should not be hounded down, rather they should be supported in any way possible, with the understanding that they are not only the mothers of the nation, but also wherever they find themselves; the Federal House of Representatives, inclusive in all of these. We think Nigerians need outspoken Senators and not necessarily those that are there and sleeping away their time, only to wait at the end of the month to collect humongous amounts of money.
We want to see an end to this matter urgently, in a way that both parties will be willing to avoid overheating the already heated political space. Suspending a Senator for a long period of six months is complete denial of her people that elected her. It does not speak well of democratic governance.
