Natasha: Group Knocks Saraki Over Comments Against Akpabio
Uko Okon, Uyo
The Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Professionals have criticized former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, for his comments on the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Saraki had called for an open, transparent, and honest investigation into the allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
However, the group in a statement signed by its National President, Edidiong John and the National Secretary, Kemfon Neke, and made available to our correspondent in Uyo, argued that Saraki’s comments suggest legislative overreach, aimed at taunting the Senate and creating confusion.
They emphasized that the matter is already before the court, with both Akpabio’s wife, Unoma, and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan having taken the matter to court.
The group urged Saraki to respect the legal process and refrain from making statements that may pressure or prejudice the Senate’s handling of the issue. They noted that the pendency of a case in the judicial system renders any parallel investigation by the Senate improper and beyond its authority at this stage.
The group added that as a former presiding officer of the Senate, Saraki should be aware of the Senate’s limited options in the face of an ongoing court case, . They stressed that Akpabio is not a member of the judiciary and cannot usurp its role in adjudicating the matter.
The group also raised concerns about the timing and manner of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations, noting that the alleged incident was not promptly reported to the police or the Senate’s Ethics and Public Petitions Committee.
Parts of the statement read, “Dr. Saraki, with his extensive experience as a former Senate President, is or ought to be conversant with the Senate’s Standing Orders, particularly those prohibiting the consideration of matters pending before the courts. The pendency of this case in the judicial system renders any parallel investigation by the Senate improper and beyond its authority at this stage.
“This is not a matter of politicization or trivialization, as Dr. Saraki suggests, but a straightforward application of legal and parliamentary norms.
“Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the allegations in question, which Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan claims date back to December 8, 2023, were not promptly reported to the police despite constituting a potential criminal offense nor submitted to the Senate’s Ethics and Public Petitions Committee for immediate redress, as provided under the Senate’s rules.
“Instead, the senator chose to first air her grievances on a television program, bypassing established remedial options available under Nigerian law and Senate procedure.
“This sequence of events raises questions about the intent behind her approach, which Mrs Akpabio has interpreted as defamatory, prompting her to seek judicial recourse. The court is now the appropriate forum to test the senator’s claims, and it is there that she must substantiate her assertions, as the law in Nigeria remains clear: he or she who alleges must prove.
“It should also be noted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has indeed submitted a petition to the Senate regarding this matter. That petition has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen.
“It is this committee that will determine, in the first instance, whether the Senate retains jurisdiction to address the issue, given the sub judice nature of the allegations. This process is already underway, and any further agitation outside this framework risks undermining the Senate’s own procedures.
