..Kogi Central senator may face suspension for alleged ‘unruly conduct
..Ethics panel begins probe
By Editor
The senator representing Kogi Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has sued Senate President Godswill Akpabio for alleged defamation of her character.
She filed the suit yesterday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through her lawyer, Victor Giwa.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is alleging, among others, that Akpabio defamed her by his comments, which were allegedly published by one of his aides in his social media platform.
The Kogi Central senator claimed that some words the Senate President’s aide published on his Facebook page with the title: “Is local content committee of the Senate Natasha’s birthright?” defamed her.
Listed as defendants in the suit are: Senator Akpabio, the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick.
In a supporting affidavit, Akpoti-Uduaghan averred that Akpabio put her “under series of pressure in distracting” her “from carrying out her legislative functions in her capacity as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by removing her from various committees in the Senate, which include international conferences and engagements in her capacity as a senator, such that the claimant (Akpoti-Uduaghan) has to pay personally for her international official trips and hotel bills”, among others.
She is praying the court for a declaration that the statement – “it is a bottled (up) anger by the Kogi lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers” allegedly used and written by the third defendant, purportedly at the prompting of the first and second defendants (Akpabio and the Senate) – “is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the claimant by members of the public”.
She is al,so praying the court to award against the defendants the sum of N100 billion as general damages and N300 million as the cost of prosecuting the case.
Also, Akpabio yesterday explained how Akpoti-Uduaghan breached the Red Chamber’s rules last Thursday.
Akpabio, who spoke during plenary, attributed the Kogi Central senator’s conduct to lack of proper grasp of the Senate’s guiding rules.
He said: “The Senate leader has finally arrived at the motion before us that we should refer the entirety of the saga to our Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions Committee to revert back to us…
“As I’m talking now, Senator (Abdulfatai Omotayo) Buhari (APC, Oyo North) knows that the rule allows a senator to sit anywhere. But if you need to make a contribution, you must go back to your seat. Part of maintenance of order from the presiding officer is that where a particular senator perambulates too much around the Senate, you recognise him to speak…
“Our distinguished sister was not even speaking from her seat. That was when we tried to call her to order. I think part of the problem is when people come from courts, court-declared senators, they miss the orientation.
“The management of the National Assembly is hereby ordered to organise periodic orientation, particularly for senators who are mid-streamers, who can mid-stream and did not start when their colleagues started…”
Also, the Senate may suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan or take other punitive actions against her for alleged “un-parliamentary conduct”.
The Red Chamber yesterday referred her to its Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions for an investigation into her alleged misconduct.
The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration and adoption of a report presented to it by the Chairman of its Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Adeyemi Adaramodu, during plenary.
The committee chairman said he had been going to different media houses to explain the Senate’s side of the issue, as its image maker.
He said it is always difficult to mend a battered image, like the one Akpoti-Uduaghan had painted of the Red Chamber.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Minority Leader Abba Moro, and Ondo South Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, among others, decried Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct over the issue.
Bamidele alluded to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s interview on Berekete Family Radio, saying it was uncalled for.
The Senate Leader listed a number of senators – in the opposition and the ruling parties – whose seats had been moved for various reasons but did not cause uproars over the changes
