FCT, Abuja – A public affairs analyst, Hamma Hayatu, has criticized the Nigerian Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, arguing that the move lacks fairness and due process.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on Thursday, March 6, following a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
The suspension, which came after her protest against the relocation of her seat during plenary, will see her salary and security details revoked, and her office locked.
Speaking exclusively to Legit.ng, Hayatu questioned the legitimacy of the Senate acting as both the judge and enforcer in its own case.
“How can the Senate be a judge in its own case? What happened at the Senate is just clownery. The best place for justice is an independent panel of inquiry or the courts,” he said.
Calls for independent review
Hayatu further emphasized that the Senate’s decision sets a dangerous precedent, where lawmakers could be punished without an impartial review process.
“If a senator can be suspended without an independent body reviewing the matter, then what stops this from being used as a tool to silence dissenting voices?” he asked.
He urged the Senate to reconsider its approach and allow an independent panel or the judiciary to determine whether Akpoti-Uduaghan violated any legislative rules.
Background to the suspension
The controversy began when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan objected to the reassignment of her seat during a Senate plenary session, claiming it was an attempt to silence her.
Her reaction led to a heated confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Following the clash, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions recommended her suspension, which was upheld by a majority vote in the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro defended the decision, describing it as a necessary corrective measure, likening it to “correcting a child” in line with Nigerian cultural norms.
For her suspension to be lifted, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a formal apology or serve the full six-month suspension period.
However, critics, including Hayatu, insist that the process was flawed and lacked transparency, calling for an independent review of the case.
Natasha submits formal petition against Akpabio
Previously, Legit.ng reported that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, has formally submitted a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday, March 5.
