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SARAKI TELLS AKPABIO NOT TO POLITICISE CALL FOR DUE PROCESS IN SENATE

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  CapitalTimesNews / 6 hours
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• 2 min read

Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has described as “cheap politics and trivialising of a serious issue” the claim by incumbent Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, that the call on him to ensure that transparent and open process is instituted to investigate the accusation levelled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is an attempt to remove a Niger Delta person from office. In a statement, the Head of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said, “Dr. Saraki never called on the Senate President to resign or step aside. Rather, he urged the Senate President to be conscious of the fact that perception is reality and therefore he should avoid treating the allegations by the Senator in a manner that will create the perception that the Senate as an institution is trying to cover up issues bothering on sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and abuse of office.” The Head of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office emphasized that Dr. Saraki’s intervention was neither about Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan nor whether her claim was right or not. “He stated that since the Senator has gone public with such serious allegations against the presiding officer, the image of the institution should be saved through an honest, sincere, open, transparent, and unbiased investigation,” Olaniyonu said. Dr. Saraki also pointed out that there are already existing processes recommended in the Constitution, laws of the land, Senate rules, conventions, and precedents to be followed in carrying out such investigation. “Dr. Saraki is of the firm belief that his suggestions are for the benefit of the legislative institution,” Olaniyonu said. The Head of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office noted that Dr. Saraki’s comment was not about Akpabio’s region or party affiliation. “It is disingenuous and crude to describe Dr. Saraki’s comment along those primordial lines,” he said. Dr. Saraki emphasized that the issue is not one in which Akpabio should exploit ethnic sentiments, political division, or regional proclivity. “This will neither be in his own interest or that of the institution over which he is presiding. He should face the reality on ground and do what is right,” Olaniyonu quoted Dr. Saraki as saying.