HISTORY NEVER FORGETS: THE SENATE’S ASSAULT ON SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN

The Nigerian Senate has once again descended into the abyss of tyranny, trampling upon the very principles of democracy it claims to uphold. The unlawful suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not just an affront to her person; it is a direct assault on free speech, justice, and the right of every Nigerian—particularly women—to speak truth to power without fear of retribution.

Senator Natasha, a duly elected representative of Kogi Central, dared to challenge the unholy status quo. She spoke up about a harrowing experience of sexual harassment allegedly perpetrated by none other than Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Instead of allowing a fair hearing of her petition, the Senate chose to gag her, wielding its power not as an instrument of justice but as a weapon of intimidation.

A Senate That Protects the Powerful and Silences the Vulnerable

If the allegations against Akpabio were baseless, why the desperation to suppress them? Why the rush to dismiss her claims? The Senate did not even make a pretense of impartiality. There was no investigation. No opportunity for cross-examination. No adherence to due process. Instead, the accuser was lynched while the accused sat as judge, jury, and executioner.

This is the very definition of institutionalized impunity.

The Ethics Committee, led by a man who had already gone on national television to defend Akpabio before the so-called "investigation" even began, acted not as an impartial body but as an accomplice in a grand cover-up. The Senate leadership, rather than ensuring transparency, mobilized its members like a cult sworn to protect its master at all costs.

Senators who should stand for justice instead rushed to TV stations to demonize a woman who dared to demand accountability. The Senate Whip, the Senate Leader, the Ethics Committee—all fell in line, not to uphold the dignity of the Red Chamber, but to shield one man from scrutiny.

An Illegal and Unconstitutional Suspension

Beyond the moral reprehensibility of this act, it is also illegal. The Federal High Court in Jibrin v. House of Representatives and Ndume v. Senate has ruled in clear terms that the legislature lacks the constitutional power to suspend any of its members. The Nigerian Constitution does not grant the Senate the authority to strip an elected representative of their mandate simply because they made the leadership uncomfortable.

This means that Natasha’s suspension is null, void, and of no effect. She remains a senator. Her constituents remain represented. The desperate attempt to erase her presence in the chamber is both laughable and futile. The name "Senator" is not a gift that can be revoked at will—it is a lifetime title, conferred by the electorate, not by the whims of Senate leadership.

The Senate Must Allow an Independent Investigation

Senator Akpabio is no stranger to allegations of sexual misconduct. This is not the first time a woman has accused him of harassment. When he was Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, the then-MD of NDDC, Joi Nunieh, publicly stated that she had to slap Akpabio in self-defense after he allegedly harassed her. These are not coincidences. These are patterns.

If Akpabio has nothing to hide, let him step aside and submit to an independent investigation. Let the ICPC probe the matter. Let the Nigerian people see, in broad daylight, whether the Senate President is innocent or whether the Red Chamber has been turned into a fortress for predators and oppressors.

Where is the Opposition? Where is the PDP?

Perhaps most shameful is the complicity of the so-called opposition. The PDP senators, rather than standing against this abuse of power, have cowered like frightened schoolboys. The 10th Senate has exposed itself as a gathering of men without backbone, without principle, without honor. If this is the quality of leadership Nigeria must endure, then our democracy is truly in peril.

We say this with no apologies: the 10th Senate is an embarrassment to the nation. It has proven itself unworthy of the people's trust. It has sent a chilling message to every Nigerian woman that when they speak up against abuse, they will be punished, ridiculed, and erased.

But let this be a warning: the people are watching.

A Senate That Cannot Be Shut Down by the People Is a Senate That Has Not Met the Right Opposition

The people of Kogi Central do not rely on the Senate for their survival. The Senate can suspend Natasha for six months or six years—it will not break the resolve of the people she represents.

If this illegality is not reversed, let it be known that Nigerians will not stand idly by. The day is coming when men and women of courage will rise to shut down that Senate, not with weapons, but with the unbreakable force of civil resistance.

If the Senate believes it can silence dissent through brute force, then it underestimates the resilience of the Nigerian people. Natasha will not walk alone. She will not be the last to suffer this fate, but she will be the first to expose the hypocrisy, cowardice, and moral decay that define the 10th Senate.

We, the Movement for Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN), stand firmly with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

And to those who think they can bury the truth—history is watching.

e-signed, 

COMRADE-GENERAL 

Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN), National Headquarters, Abuja.

March 6, 2025.