SUSPENSION: PDP CHIEFTAIN FAULTS SENATE, SAYS IT’S A VIOLATION OF RIGHT

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Chief Francis Maku, has called on the Senate to rescind its decision and reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

He insisted that the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan beyond 14 days violates the rights of her constituents.

Maku, a former Chairman of Warri North Local Government Council, said in an interview that the Senate lacks the power to suspend her. He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene as a matter of urgency to save the National Assembly from public ridicule.

Describing the six-month suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan as harsh and inconsistent with the principles of fair hearing and freedom of speech enshrined in the 1999 Constitution—which supersedes any other laws—he questioned why the Senate had not handled the issue with sincerity.

“The Senate is a respected public institution and must not be seen as a biased establishment where equal rights and fairness are denied to a particular constituency, thereby depriving the people of Kogi Central of their right to proportional representation in governance,” he said.

Reacting to the Senate Leader’s statement that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to flagrant disobedience to the Senate’s Standing Orders 2023 (as amended), Maku argued that freedom of speech is a fundamental right of all citizens, adding that the Nigerian Constitution reigns supreme in matters of public interest.

“In Senator Ali Ndume v. Senate (2018), the Court of Appeal ruled that the Senate lacks the power to suspend a senator beyond a reasonable period (often not exceeding 14 days), as it violates the rights of the constituents.

“The National Assembly has a responsibility to uphold the country’s image on the international stage by accommodating all petitions and treating all senators equally.

“The people of Kogi Central cannot be left without a voice in the Red Chamber.