The founder of Human Capital Africa, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has written to the Senate to desist from any further attack or intimidation against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan having been rightfully allowed to return to the Senate after months of an unfair and punitive suspension.
Ezekwesili made the call to the Senate in a memo written to the leadership of the red chamber comprising 107 senators, adding that Akpoti-Uduaghan has become a symbol of the fortitude and resilience necessary to fight injustice perpetrated against citizens by those who abuse public power.
The former Minister emphasized that it is time for leadership of the senate and members to do the right thing- end all forms of harassment or targeting against the female federal lawmaker, recalling that she was unconstitutionally long-deprived of representation.
Ezekwesili in the memo stressed that Natasha’s suspension is seen by all reasonable Nigerians as an act of injustice- one that went far beyond the bounds of fair discipline.
‘To the Senate and Senators, now that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been rightfully allowed to return to the Senate after months of an unfair and punitive suspension, it is time for your leadership and members to do the right thing- end all forms of harassment or targeting against her’, Ezekwesili wrote
‘Senator Natasha’s suspension is seen by all reasonable Nigerians as an act of injustice- one that went far beyond the bounds of fair discipline. It sent a wrong message that the Senate could silence or intimidate a woman who speaks boldly and stands for what she believes in’, she stated.
‘Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reinstatement therefore provides the Senate a chance to correct that mistake and show the public that it can uphold fairness and respect for every elected member’, she added.
Ekwesili encouraged the senate to set a better example and must prove it can handle all matters involving individual members with maturity and not to unjustly weaponize public power to unjustly punish the aggrieved
The advocate for transparency, accountability, good governance called on the senate authorities on need to restore full rights and privileges of Akpoti-Uduaghan as a Senator, which include her office, her staff, her committee roles, and her right to speak freely in the chamber must be available for her to fully function.
‘Stop all hostilities and silent punishments. There must be no more attempts to sideline, frustrate, or humiliate her for simply doing her job. Show respect for the people’s mandate. Senator Natasha represents the people of Kogi Central. To target her any further is to disrespect the will of her voters’, the memo emphasised.
‘The Senate must remember that power is best shown not through intimidation but through transparent actions, fairness, restraint and accountability. The Senate has a chance to turn this page the right way- by treating Senator Natasha with the same dignity and respect given to every other member’, Ekwesili stated.
‘How the Senate handles the substantive matter of her allegation against the Senate President going forward from now, is the crux of what citizens will judge the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by to see whether our highest lawmaking body leads by example’.
‘There is a new vista for many of her colleagues to seize the second chance and finally stand to be counted in insisting that “the injustice shall not be sustained. Nigerians are watching, and history will remember whether the Senate chose vindictiveness or justice.
Ekwesili, however, congratulated NatashaAkpoti on returning to the Red Chamber of the Nigerian Senate to resume her duties to her Kogi Central Constituency who were unconstitutionally long-deprived of representation.
‘You have become a symbol of the fortitude and resilience necessary to fight injustice perpetrated against citizens by those who abuse public power. As I have maintained from the start of this saga, this is not only about Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. It is about what kind of democracy Nigeria wants to build- one where no one is punished for standing up for the truth, and where women can lead without fear of bias or bullying’, she stressed.
