Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, on Thursday, said he heard on the radio that a vote of confidence was passed on him as Senate President. He thanked Senators of the 10th National Assembly for their patriotism.
Akpabio, who was absent from the plenary, returned midway into legislative proceedings presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau. After assuming his seat, he expressed his excitement, stating that resolutions passed are always unanimous.
He said: “Senators in the Nigerian Senate are one. Any resolution passed is always unanimous.”
He accused the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, of spreading falsehoods regarding the Senate resolution that led to her suspension.
Akpabio said: “I understand that on the day Natasha was suspended, she went to Berekete Family Radio and then to Arise, and she never told them the truth but instead spread lies against the Senate.
“She did not tell them what she was suspended for and even went to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to embarrass the Federal Government of Nigeria,” Akpabio said.
Earlier, Senators passed a vote of confidence in the Senate President amid sexual harassment allegations by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
DAILY POST recalls that the suspension followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
In his motion, the Senate Leader noted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan did not formally present her petition on sexual harassment to the Senate; instead, they only heard about it the previous week on Arise Television.
Bamidele also insisted that those accusing Akpabio of acting as a judge in the matter are oblivious to the provisions of Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which gives the National Assembly the power to regulate itself.
He said that while appreciating the public’s concern on this matter, the Senate will strictly be guided by its rules and conventions as provided by the Constitution.
Meanwhile, DAILY POST observed that the Senate, on Wednesday, went into a closed-door meeting for hours before reopening for debate. This may be connected to a new twist, as a Federal High Court in Abuja was said to have issued a ‘Form B’ to the Senate regarding a contempt-related matter.
