FG in peace talks with Senate, engages N’Assembly over Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension 

...PDP condemns suspension, accuses Senate of cover-up

...Sen. Ireti Kingibe didn’t fight for Natasha because… — Shehu Sani

By Sodiq Adelakun

The Federal Government has intervened in the ongoing crisis between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the leadership of the Senate, announcing that it is actively engaging the National Assembly to mediate and broker peace.

This came from the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, who said the government was working to ensure that justice is tempered with mercy in the aftermath of the controversial six-month suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

“We are engaging all stakeholders to ensure that they temper justice with mercy,” Suleiman-Ibrahim said, addressing State House correspondents during a special Meet-the-Press Programme at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Her comments came just a day after the Senate’s ethics committee recommended the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, following her petition in which she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment — a claim the Senate later dismissed on procedural grounds.

Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan had first raised the alarm on February 28, alleging that Akpabio made inappropriate advances towards her. However, the Senate swiftly dismissed the petition, citing procedural flaws.

The ethics committee recommended the lawmaker’s suspension, accusing her of bringing disrepute to the upper chamber. Despite the Senate’s stance, the Women Affairs Minister expressed dismay over the incident, emphasising the importance of keeping women’s representation in the National Assembly intact.

Suleiman-Ibrahim remarked, “It’s an unfortunate incident that should not happen. In the last assembly, we had nine women senators. We don’t want to lose any woman in the Senate or see a decrease in our numbers. Our role is to ensure that we mediate, and we are hopeful that peace will prevail.”

The Minister emphasised that she had received positive signals from Senate President Akpabio, who had expressed his openness to negotiations. “I was at the National Assembly just yesterday, where we marked the International Women’s Day.”

The Senate President’s final remark was that ‘we’re open to brokering peace.’ This gives us hope that both parties will be receptive to dialogue,” she said.

The ministry’s intervention in the matter comes at a time when the Senate is facing increasing public scrutiny over its handling of the issue, with various groups and public figures criticising the suspension.

Suleiman-Ibrahim added that the ministry would act as an intermediary between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership to foster understanding and ensure that the matter is resolved in a fair and just manner.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has fiercely condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate, labelling it a desperate attempt to cover up allegations of sexual harassment levelled against Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

In a statement released on Friday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused the Akpabio-led Senate leadership of disregarding basic principles of justice and fair hearing.

Ologunagba argued that the decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan without conducting a thorough investigation into her serious accusations against Akpabio reflected the Senate’s inclination to protect misconduct within its ranks.

“The suspension without an open investigation into the weighty allegation of sexual harassment against the Senate President not only negates the principle of fair hearing but also portrays the Senate as an institution that endorses, condones, and offers protection to reprobacy,” Ologunagba stated.

The PDP spokesperson went further to criticise the severity of the suspension, which he described as “excessively harsh,” arguing that it unjustly deprived the people of Kogi Central Senatorial Zone of their constitutional right to be represented in the Senate.

He stressed that it was a blatant abuse of power for Akpabio, the accused, to act as the judge in a matter where he was directly implicated.

“This situation validates the public’s fear that Senate President Akpabio is determined to suppress any investigation into the sexual harassment allegations made against him by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan,” Ologunagba added.

He also reminded Nigerians of past allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, notably by the former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Joi Nunieh, which had not been properly addressed.

“If Senator Akpabio has nothing to hide, what Nigerians expected of him was to step aside and allow an independent investigation into the allegations against him,” Ologunagba remarked.

The PDP also voiced its concerns over the ongoing scandals surrounding Akpabio, including accusations of financial impropriety and negligence in his previous roles as Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

The party reminded the public of pending investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) related to the alleged looting of billions of naira under Akpabio’s watch.

The PDP has called for the immediate reinstatement of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and a transparent, impartial investigation into the serious allegations against Senate President Akpabio.

Also, Former Nigerian senator, Shehu Sani, has weighed in on the silence of Senator Ireti Kingibe regarding the controversial suspension of her colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, from the Senate.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Sani explained that Ireti’s apparent inaction was due to her ongoing political struggle with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

Sani clarified that Ireti, already embroiled in a fierce battle with Wike, would have found it politically unwise to engage in another conflict by speaking out against the Senate’s decision.

“Some people are attacking Senator Ireti for not standing up to fight in the Senate. She is already being brutally fought at home by the FCT Minister. If she now picks another battle in the Senate, she will be at war both front and back. What will be left of her in that situation?” he wrote.

He went on to emphasise the importance of strategic decision-making in politics, noting that Ireti’s political survival required her to prioritise her constituents’ needs over engaging in divisive confrontations.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which has sparked widespread debate, is a sensitive issue, and many had expected Ireti to come to her defense.

However, according to Sani, her silence may have been driven by a pragmatic approach to her political challenges, as she faces significant pressure both within and outside the Senate.