The Popular Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Senate for his accusation of sexual harassment against the president of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Secretary of National Advertising, Debodologunagba, the party said that the action of the Senate leadership led by Akpabio against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan seemed to be a desperate attempt to cover up.
The PDP noted that the hurried suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, without an open investigation into the serious accusation of sexual harassment against the president of the Senate, not only violated the principle of impartial audience, especially in the parliamentary convention, but also portrays the Senate as an institution that condemned, supports and protects the evil duct.
The statement said: “In addition, the excessively hard suspension of six months of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan effectively denies the people of the central senatorial area of Kogi their constitutional right to representation in the Senate.
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“It is scandalous and is equivalent to a great abuse of charge and a violation of the fundamental principles of justice and the fair hearing so that Senator Akpabio acts as a judge in an issue in which he is the accused. This situation further reinforces public concerns that the president of the Senate in conflict is trying to suppress an open legislative investigation into the accusation of sexual harassment against him. ”
The PDP recalled that this was not the first time that Senator Akpabio had been accused of sexual harassment.
The statement continued: *“This last development in the Senate reminds the Nigerians of the accusation of sexual harassment previously made against Senator Akpabio by the former interim managing director of the Development Commission of the Niger Delta (NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh.
“If Senator Akpabio has nothing to hide, the Nigerians would have expected to clear his name by separating in line with the established parliamentary practices and allowing an open and impartial investigation into the accusations of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“It is a national shame that the president and president of the Senate of the National Assembly is involved in a case of sexual harassment, tarnishing the image and integrity of the highest legislative body in Nigeria. In such circumstances, the president of the Senate should not require external pressure to be put aside for independent investigation to clear his name.
“Even more worrying is the fact that, since assuming the position, the leadership of Senator Akpabio of the Senate has been largely unbridled and plagued by scandals, including accusations of financial misconduct and negligence to fulfill the constitutional duty of the Senate to provide controls and balances in the Executive, to the dentors of the millions of Nigerians.
“In addition, the Nigerians remember that pending investigations before the Commission of Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) involve accusations of Senator Akpabio who looted N108.1 billion AKWA IBOM State during his mandate as governor, as well as an alleged SCAM of the N86 N86 contract in the Delta de Niger Development Commission (NDDC) as Minister of Billions of N86 billion.
“Given the public concern generalized by this accusation of sexual harassment, which has already caused protests in the National Assembly, the PDP urges the Senate to restore its credibility by immediately restoring Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and guaranteeing an open investigation on the matter.” **