Senator Solomon Adeola criticized Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for her alleged blackmail of Nigeria’s parliament and urged the IPU not to be swayed by her claims. Following her suspension for violating Senate rules, Adeola asserted the Senate’s constitutional authority and urged adherence to institutional processes. He condemned unsubstantiated accusations of sexual harassment against Senate leadership and cleared the misconception of female senators being oppressed.
Senator Solomon Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and a senior member of Nigeria’s 10th Senate, has criticized Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. He maintained that she cannot position herself as more significant than the Senate and urged the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) not to allow her actions to be a means of blackmail against Nigeria’s National Assembly. His remarks followed a confidence vote regarding Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has made allegations of political victimization against Akpabio, presenting her claims at a UN forum after being suspended on March 6 due to a confrontation over Senate seating arrangements. She later accused Akpabio of punishing her for purportedly rejecting his sexual advances on national television, which heightened the tensions.
During a session at the International Parliamentary Union meeting in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan requested international oversight to ensure accountability from the Nigerian Senate. However, Adeola asserted that her suspension was justified by her significant breach of the Senate Standing Orders and Nigeria’s constitution. He emphasized that senators are bound by these regulations once sworn in.
Adeola noted that Akpoti-Uduaghan had not exhausted available internal channels to resolve her grievances and added that her lawsuit against the presiding officer and the Senate prevents her petition from being addressed by the upper chamber until a court resolution is reached. He underscored the Senate’s constitutional authority to establish rules without interruption.
Moreover, concerning Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment accusations against Akpabio, Adeola clarified that such serious claims require substantial evidence to avoid undermining the parliament’s integrity. He dismissed notions that female senators are marginalized, affirming that they receive their due respect within the legislative framework.
Adeola praised Khafilat Oghara, the House of Representatives Committee Chairperson on Women Affairs, for her truthful representation. He cautioned the IPU against being manipulated into diminishing the status of the parliament and praised its president for not immediately accepting Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims without scrutiny. According to Adeola, Akpoti-Uduaghan remains suspended until she complies with the stipulated conditions or a court verdict intervenes in her case.
Senator Solomon Adeola’s staunch defense of the Nigerian Senate contrasts sharply with the allegations raised by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, which he deems unfounded. Adeola emphasizes that internal mechanisms should be utilized to resolve grievances and insists that accusations of harassment must be substantiated to preserve the parliament’s integrity. His plea to the IPU reflects a desire to maintain the Senate’s credibility and autonomy against perceived external threats.
Original Source: punchng.com
