Abuja, FCT – A political analyst, Shadrach Ogbonnaya, has criticised former Senate President Bukola Saraki for calling on current Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step aside amid the sexual harassment allegation raised against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Ogbonnaya in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Sunday, March 9, argued that Saraki had refused to step aside in past controversies involving his tenure.
Saraki calls for Akpabio to step aside
Legit.ng reported that Senator Bukola Saraki, who led Nigeria’s 8th Senate, advised Akpabio to step aside to allow an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The former Senate president said he also faced allegations of importing an official car without paying customs duties during his tenure. He said he appeared before the Senate ethics committee and allowed media coverage for transparency to clear his name. The former Kwara governor added that he also stepped aside during the debate on the committee’s report to ensure fairness. He therefore advised Akpabio to follow this precedent.
Analyst Shadrach Ogbonnaya disagrees with Saraki
However, Ogbonnaya faulted Saraki’s position and highlighted past incidents where Saraki himself was allegedly involved in controversies but remained in office.
According to the analyst, Saraki did not step aside when Senator Ali Ndume allegedly accused him and Senator Dino Melaye of falsifying documents in 2017. He said instead of Saraki stepping aside, Ndume was suspended for 181 days.
Ogbonnaya added that Saraki did not step aside when he was accused of having connections with the Offa bank robbery, where 33 people were killed. He said despite public outcry, Saraki did not step aside. Legit.ng notes that former Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, later cleared Saraki, saying no evidence linked him to the armed robbery attack.
In addition, Ogbonnay said while serving as Senate President, Saraki was docked at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The analyst said he continued presiding over Senate proceedings while attending his hearings and was never summoned by the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
He, therefore questioned Saraki’s call for Akpabio to step aside.
“Whoever goes to equity must go with clean hands,” he said, implying that Saraki had not upheld the same standard during his tenure.
Natasha vs Akpabio: Remi Tinubu speaks
In another report, Oluremi Tinubu, the first lady of Nigeria, said that the Senate is a “matured” institution and should therefore be respected.
The president’s wife was commenting on the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Akpabio.
Tinubu, a three-time member of the Senate, spoke on the need for women to assert themselves in leadership positions. She encouraged women to “raise themselves” and not allow men to speak to them disrespectfully.
