Pro-democracy Advocacy Group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has urged Senate President, Mr. Godwill Akpabio, to nullify the six-month suspension slammed on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accuses him of sexual harassment and then let the court decide on cases instituted by senator Natasha for which senator Akpabio has joined issues with.

HURIWA lamented that whereas Nigerians are struggling with soaring inflation, depreciating value of the Naira, heightened insecurity and high unemployment, the least Nigerians expect from the National Assembly is to pay greater focus on providing effective oversight supervision of government agencies and public office holders to deliver on their mandates efficiently as that is the only way out of the nation?s economic doldrums. Nigerians are sick and tired of hearing only about allegations being thrown at each other by Senators.

HURIWA recalled that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio for allegedly defaming her.

The suit was filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja division on Tuesday, with Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, listed as the second and third defendants.

In the suit, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, referred to Akpabio?s words published by his aide on his Facebook page with the title, ?Is local content committee of the senate Natasha?s birthright?? where he stated that the claimant thought being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers.

Giwa alleged that the statement on Akpoti-Uduaghan was defamatory, provocative, and disparaging, and lowered her dignity in the eyes of her colleagues and right-thinking members of the public.

Besides, HURIWA recalled that the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, has also challenged the jurisdiction of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to hear the suit by the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Senator Akpabio, through his team of lawyers led by Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, queried the powers of the court to meddle in the affairs of the Senate.

At the resumed proceeding in the matter, yesterday, the defendants maintained that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had yet to effect proper service of the court processes to enable them to file necessary applications to challenge the competence of the suit.

Aside from Senator Akpabio, 3rd defendant in the matter, others are the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

In a media statement by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed the opinion that since the Senate president has already stormed the court to counter the suit by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the most natural course for the Senate to take is to immediately revoke the suspension on senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and await the determination of the court. HURIWA has also urged both Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate president and their supporters to immediately seize fire and call off all alleged sponsored protests for or against each other.

HURIWA said that by joining issues with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the court of law, the Senate president has already wittingly admitted that the judiciary is the most appropriate forum for both parties to settle their differences legally.

The Rights group said, the public denial by Akpabio during a recent Senate plenary of the sexual allegation made against him by senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was a welcomed development. HURIWA however described the six-months suspension against Senator Natasha as an over-kill and is akin to using a sledgehammer to kill ?a harmless fly?

?We are appealing to the Senate President and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to begin the process of dousing the tensions and end their media warfare. The Senate should revoke the irregular suspension slammed on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate president should as a lawyer let the court decides. Whilst awaiting the decision of the Court of law, we are urging Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to stop granting endless media interviews and let the sleeping dog lie particularly when she has approached the court and could file the sexual harassment suit in the court of law.?

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