5 hours Ago By Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis
Suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, likened the Nigerian Senate to a secret society where lawmakers are too scared to voice contrary opinions to any issue raised by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. According to her, fellows senators have been intimidated to a level where there is a palpable fear they risk losing opportunities and privileges if they venture to disagree with certain decisions take at the Red Chamber. Akpoti-Uduaghan made the revelation in an interview with the BBC Hausa.
But speaking with The PUNCH, the Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, he denied the allegation. “Natasha’s behaviour in the Senate does not reflect that. There was never a time the Senate President made any attempt to harass Senator Akpoti at his home or made any inappropriate statements in the Senate,”Nwebonyi said.
In her interview with the BBC, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that there was a culture of fear in the Senate and senator dared not challenge the Senate President. She said, “There is this culture of fear among the senators. If you dare to criticise the Senate President or express a differing opinion, you risk having all opportunities blocked, and you will not be allowed to speak.
” When quizzed further on whether she conveniently defend her allegations of misconduct against Akpabio, she nodded, saying she has evidence. Aside from the earlier narrative of how the former Akwa Ibom governor made advances at her, the legislator explained that there was another instance where Akpabio along with five other senators teased her with sexual innuendos for failing to wear her wedding ring. She said, “There was another time when I was rushing to the Senate and forgot to put on my wedding ring.
At the event, there were about five other senators who asked, ‘Natasha, why aren’t you wearing your wedding ring? Is there another way of betraying your husband?’ “There was also a time when he told me, ‘Natasha, your husband seems to be enjoying you, and you might be able to twist that beautiful waist of yours...
’ He said that, and the others burst into laughter.” Related News Bill requiring Tiktok, bloggers to open offices in Nigeria passes second reading I'm being victimised, my suspension meant to silence me- Natasha Where I disagree with Senators Natasha and Akpabio When the fresh complaint of Akpoti-Uduaghan was brought to the notice of the Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, he denied the allegation. Nwebonyi also dismissed the notion that the Senate has become a cult where lawmakers are gagged.
He said, “Natasha’s behaviour in the Senate does not reflect that. There was never a time the Senate President made any attempt to harass Senator Akpoti at his home or made any inappropriate statements in the Senate.” The PUNCH reported that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate for six months, following an altercation between her and the Senate President over the relocation of her seat.
Amid the furor, Akpoti-Uduaghan, during a TV interview, alleged that the Senate President’s attack on her stemmed from her refusal of his advances. The Kogi legislator later escalated the dispute to the international community, by lodging a petition at a United Nations forum, International Parliamentary Union, alleging political victimisation. She was suspended on March 6 after a heated confrontation with the Senate leadership over a new seating arrangement, which she claimed was designed to undermine her.
Tensions intensified when Akpoti-Uduaghan, on national television, accused Akpabio of punishing her for rejecting his alleged advances. Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting at the United Nations in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan called for international intervention to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable. She further decried stringent conditions imposed on her, including withdrawal of security, salary cuts, and a ban from the National Assembly for six months.
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