Posted by Amarachi on Wed 12th Mar, 2025 - tori.ng
The political analyst questioned why Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi lawmaker Dino Melaye, who had both been involved in controversial conduct, were never subjected to such severe punitive measures.
Nigerian professor of political economy and management expert, Pat Utomi, has frowned at the six-month suspension of Kogi Central lawmaker, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate.
He described it as an act of impunity that undermines democracy.
Utomi, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday, condemned the Senate’s handling of the case, arguing that the suspension was a political witch-hunt rather than a legitimate disciplinary action.
The political analyst questioned why Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi lawmaker Dino Melaye, who had both been involved in controversial conduct, were never subjected to such severe punitive measures.
He wrote, “Akpabio himself and Dino Melaye have engaged in worse conduct than what they accused her of, yet they did not face similar sanctions.”
Utomi further described the Senate’s action as a distraction from the more pressing economic and institutional reform challenges facing the country.
The economist accused the Senate of rushing through the suspension process without exhausting fair hearing procedures, calling it a mockery of democracy.
Utomi stated, “The impunity of not exhausting fair hearing in rushing through a Kangaroo court makes a mockery of democracy.”
He noted that by ignoring existing court rulings that prohibit the suspension of National Assembly members, the Senate had demonstrated blatant disregard for the rule of law.
“The Senate assumes it has the authority to act as her employer, disregarding court rulings that protect lawmakers from arbitrary suspension. This raises serious concerns about the weight of the rule of law in Nigeria,” Utomi noted
Utomi also decried the denial of representation to Kogi Central constituents, emphasizing that the Senate chamber already has very few female lawmakers.
He said, “How can they deny Kogi Central voters representation, especially in a chamber with so few women?”
The suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, has sparked widespread condemnation, with critics arguing that it is a politically motivated move to silence opposition voices.