Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate has spoken about the narrative going around about the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator representing Kogi Central.
Gatekeepers News reports that the legislator refuted claims that Senator Natasha was suspended for her s*xual Harrassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Gatekeepers News reports that Bamidele in a statement on a Saturday, clarified Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension was due to her “flagrant disobedience” of senate rules and “unparliamentary behaviour.”
The statement reads, “It has come to the attention of the Senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of s*xuall harassment.”
“This is completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts. If Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice.”
“But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving.”
“Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was a decision of the Committee of the Whole Senate, following the submission of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.”
Bamidele noted that the report found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of violating sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate standing orders 2023 (as amended) and recommended her immediate suspension.
He added that the disciplinary action was a response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “repeated
violations of legislative decorum.”
He said, “Contrary to the false claims being circulated, Akpoti-Uduaghan was not suspended for making any s*xual harassment or for submitting a petition.”
“Her petition was rightfully discountenanced because it failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the Senate.”
“The rules of the Senate apply to all members without exception, and no petition-regardless of its subject-can be considered if it does not follow due process.”
“To suggest that her suspension was linked to her petition is not only a distortion of facts but an intentional and malicious attempt to mislead the public.”
