The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate, following her allegation of sexual harassment against Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The suspension was announced on Thursday, after a dispute between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, who denied the harassment claims. The PDP, in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, criticized the decision, calling it a desperate attempt to cover up the allegation. The party argued that the suspension undermines the Senate’s integrity, particularly as it was imposed without an open investigation into the serious claim.
PDP stated that by suspending Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senate had effectively denied the people of Kogi Central Senatorial Zone their constitutional right to representation. The party further called on Senator Akpabio to step aside temporarily to allow for an unbiased investigation into the matter, asserting that this would clear his name if he truly had nothing to hide.
The PDP also expressed concern about the broader leadership issues within the Senate since Akpabio became President, including ongoing scandals such as allegations of financial impropriety and the lack of effective oversight over the Executive. They referred to pending investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into Akpabio’s alleged involvement in misappropriation of funds during his tenure as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
In response to protests surrounding the sexual harassment allegation, the PDP called for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s immediate reinstatement and for an independent investigation into the matter to restore the Senate’s credibility. While some senators tried to reduce the suspension to three months, the Senate upheld the original decision, with the condition that the suspension could be lifted if Akpoti-Uduaghan issued a written apology.
