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THE ILLEGALITY OF NATASHA’S SUSPENSION, AKPABIO’S GAME PLAN AND THE MACABRE DANCE OF THE 10TH SENATE

Abubakar Alkali / 4 weeks
0
10 min read

Friday Lines (51) With Dr Abubakar Alkali 7/3/25 (1) There is the Urgent Need for the U.S, U.K and France to Impose Visa Restrictions on the Entire Leadership of the 10th Senate for Promoting Undemocratic Tenets’(2) The major problem with Nigeria is not ethnicity or religious divides but the ‘truth-averse syndrome’ where a person will see the truth and willingly shy away from it for personal gains.(3) The mishandling of the Natasha V Akpabio sexual harassment matter by the 10th senate again reminds us to look for an answer to the opt-repeated question initially posed by PW Botha, the former Prime Minister of Apartheid South Africa. ‘Can the Blackman Rule Over Himself? In Friday lines 50 published last week on this subject, i emphasised on the fact that Sen Godswill Akpabio needs to resign urgently as President of the senate to allow for an independent, forensic and unbiased investigation into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by Sen Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.The basis of my argument and that of several other pro-people thinkers was that Sen Akpabio cannot be a judge in his own case. The law is clear: Nemo debet esse judex in propria causa. In fact, no person should judge a case in which he has an interest to avoid a conflict of interest. What we saw yesterday on the floor of the senate during the purported suspension of Sen Natasha was the exact same anomaly we spoke against: Sen Akpabio sitting as the judge, jury and determinant in his own case. This is Nigeria! Who cares? Knowingly or unknowingly to the senate, they are a shade too late to suspend Sen Natasha because a federal high court sitting in Abuja has ruled for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum.To this end, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the federal high court in his ruling on the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/25; between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan v. The Clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria & 3 Ors.” has restrained the senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions or any committee for that matter from conducting any disciplinary proceedings against Sen Natasha.The learned judge also asked the senate to justify its probe of Natasha within 72 hours.The senate in clear contravention of this court order went ahead to suspend Sen Natasha and never bothered to revert to the court to justify its trial of Natasha as required by the court. In this regard, the purported recommendation by the senate committee on ethics to the committee of the whole senate to suspend Sen Natasha is null, void and of no effect whatsoever. Since the senate acted on that purported recommendation by the ethics committee to suspend Sen Natasha, the action of the senate has no basis in law and is therefore null, void and of no effect whatsoever. The matter is subjudice since it is already in court and thus cannot be a subject of public discourse elsewhere. Clearly the senate, a supposed law making body has erred in law. In the light of this ruling, the chairman of the senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions Sen Neda Imasuen should be sued by Sen Natasha for contempt of court and libel having arranged an illegal commitee sitting and prepared a so-called ‘report’ in defiance of the court order. The court has ruled that any action taken within the subsistence of the court ruling is null, void and of no effect whatsoever. The court also adjourned hearing to March 10 2025. In reality, the game plan of Akpabio for suspending Natasha is to get her to apologise so that she would technically clear him of her sexual allegations and he will use it against her in a court of law for defamation of character and libel.If for any reason, Sen Natasha apologises to Sen Akpabio and/or the senate, she would have made a huge mistake and thrown herself open for further litigation and gagging by senator Akpabio or the senate itself. Sen Akpabio knows full well that the sexual allegations by Sen Natasha will be hanging on his neck in the court of public opinion forever. He also knows full well that no court will clear him of these damning allegations over sexual harassment and abuse of office to curry sexual favours by force. Hence he (Akpabio) desperately wants an apology from Natasha to clear himself of the sexual allegations and use it to finally silence Sen Natasha once and for all. She might even do his bidding eventually as he will keep hoping. Sen Natasha must never succumb to pressure to apologise. It is Akpabio who should apologise not Natasha. It is Akpabio who brought the senate to disrepute not Natasha. These sexual harassment allegations by Natasha added to the earlier sex-related allegations by Ms Joy Nunieh have cast a shadow of doubt on Sen Akpabio’s career, character and reputation as a public servant. Is he fit to hold a public office in the face of all these allegations by multiple women over sexual harassment? The man Akpabio is alleged to have an insatiable carvenous appetite for women and will not lift his eye at the sight of beauty. A woman can destroy your career in a flash but not the other way round. Akpabio should seek interpretation to the story of prophet Yusuf and Zulaikha in Qur’an Surah 12:25. The fact is that the 10th senate which has actually assumed the status of a cult, does not really suspend any senator but they flag a fake red light to silence and intimidate the senator for saying the truth. After a few weeks and having put fear into that senator, they will ‘reconsider’ the suspension and recall the senator. Recall the purported suspensions of Sen Ali Ndume and Sen Abdul Ningi both of which were shortlived and turned out to be mere efforts at silencing them from saying the truth. The method worked anyway as both senators Ndume and Ningi shied away from making further

NATASHA VS AKPABIO: THE NEED FOR SEN. AKPABIO TO RESIGN AND ALLOW FOR A FORENSIC AND UNFETTERED INVESTIGATION INTO THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATION

Abubakar Alkali / 1 month
0
12 min read

Friday Lines (50) WithDr Abubakar Alkali 01/03/2025 In July 2020, a certain Joy Nunieh the self-styled ‘Port Harcourt girl’ who served as acting MD of the interim management committee (IMC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) granted a tell-all interview to Arise TV where she made startling and wild sexual harassment allegations against the then minister Niger Delta affairs Godswill Akpabio. During the interview, Ms Nunieh admitted that she slapped Godswill Akpabio whom she claimed, made sexual advances to her or betterstill had invited her to ‘go physical’ during a supposed ‘meeting’ in his guest house. In the interview, Ms Nunieh stated that Godswill Akpabio invited her to his guest house in Apo where he promised to use (or misuse) his position as the minister, Niger Delta affairs to upgrade her from an acting position to substantive MD of the NDDC in return for sexual favours. That’s very easy, he said. Of course it is very easy because all he needed to do was raise a ‘memo’ and get Tunde Sabiu to take it to Buhari who will sign it promptly. No checks required. Reading the memo before signing it is a waste of time according to the administrative template of Buhari. Up till this moment, Sen Akpabio has not denied Ms Nunieh’s sexual harassment allegation nor sued her to court for defamation of character. The rest is history. From the Joy Nunieh interview with Arise TV aired on 13th July 2020 onwards, it will dawn on any objective mind that it is only a matter of when not if before vintage Akpabio is exposed further by another woman as he walks blindfolded on his way to getting his hard-earned career crippled or even destroyed by women. From that perspective, it was long time coming and wasn’t surprising when Sen Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, made a startling expose over an alleged sexual harassment by Sen. Akpabio. Curiuosly, on the same Arise TV where Joy Nunieh made the first documented allegation of sexual harassment against Akpabio, Sen. Natasha revealed a series of Sen Akpabio’s inappropriate behaviour towards her and even alleged that she is being victimised by the senate President for not ‘giving in’ to his sexual advances. Some of the romantic cum sexual advances Natasha alleged that Akpabio made towards her include: ‘Since you like this room, I will create space so that we can have quality time together’ ‘I am the chief presiding officer of the senate and I can make you happier’ ‘You will enjoy if you take care of me’ ‘I can visualise a night club and arrange a party for all of us to enjoy’ ‘Come to my hotel room for a meeting’ ‘You will like it’ It should be noted that senator Natasha didn’t have the time to reveal several other direct toasts made to her by Akpabio and such advances she may have received so far from other randy senators in the upper chamber during her interview with Arise TV. Clearly, journalists Rufai and Ayo acting on orders from the chairman Nduka Obaigbena, attempted to restrict Natasha from a tell-all to a ‘reveal-some’ interview. To summarise the sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio, Natasha likened her ordeal at the senate to a female student who kept failing a course because she refused to sleep with the lecturer. These are damning allegations indeed especially for a President of the senate who is the nation’s No. 3. They cannot be swept under the carpet even if to save Nigeria’s democracy because if the senate implodes, it will mean the nation’s democracy is over. The legislature is the hub of any democracy. Natasha’s allegations must be taken seriously. Yes, senator Akpabio must resign as President of the senate. He is not above the law and has brought the senate into disrepute even though Natasha’s accusations remain allegations until proven otherwise. Akpabio should be a role model for the youths and not the other way round. What kind of inspiration and impression is he giving to the youths by his scandal and more scandal involving women? Clearly, the man Akpabio has an eye for beautiful sexy women which can be a natural trait but he must also keep himself in check and away from every beautiful sexy woman he comes across. Are women just a piece of meat or what? Akpabio should remember that he is a top grade public office holder – the No.3 in Nigeria. Only heaven knows how many women have fallen prey of Sen Akpabio’s virus-like appetite for women. How many more women are coming out for further revelations now that Natasha and Joy Nunieh in the first instance have opened the floodgates? Can more allegations happen in Nigeria where people are afraid to say their mind for fear of victimisation especially when it involves highly placed government officials? Where one can get killed simply for saying the truth? Time shall tell. The need for Akpabio to resign as senate President is moreso when juxtaposed with the need for Natasha to get a fair hearing.The right to fair hearing is encapsulated in decision 36(1) of the constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). Normally in Nigeria’s political cycles, any woman that dares to participate in politics and political activities to compete with the men is seen as an easy prey. It is like ‘she brought herself’ This is wrong especially when the person is Akpabio who was once a governor, minister and even attempted a shot at being the President of Nigeria. Are we saying that women should not be part of politics in Nigeria? Can’t we manage just 4 women in the senate without a scandal? How many women are Presidents of their country today including Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico? The Natasha/Akpabio scandal is more worrisome when juxtaposed with the fact that Akpabio is said to be a good friend to Natasha’s husband. The fact that she is married should have set some boundaries for Akpabio. The legislature is the hub of democracy and everything

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THE ILLEGALITY OF NATASHA’S SUSPENSION, AKPABIO’S GAME PLAN AND THE MACABRE DANCE OF THE 10TH SENATE

CNPP AND CNCSOs CONDEMN SUSPENSION OF SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN, DEMAND SENATOR AKPABIO’S RECUSAL

SERAP URGES SENATE PRESIDENT AKPABIO TO REINSTATE SUSPENDED SENATOR AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN

NIGERIANS IN DIASPORA CONDEMN SUSPENSION OF SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN

SENATE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS SIX-MONTH SUSPENSION FOR SENATOR NATASHA

CNPP AND CNCSOs DEMAND AKPABIO’S RECUSAL OVER ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT

DELTA WOMEN GIVE AKPABIO 14-DAY ULTIMATUM TO APOLOGIZE OVER SEXUAL HARASSMENT SAGA

NATASHA VS AKPABIO: THE NEED FOR SEN. AKPABIO TO RESIGN AND ALLOW FOR A FORENSIC AND UNFETTERED INVESTIGATION INTO THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATION

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