Dare Babalola
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Senate tender an apology to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central over her suspension.
Recall that Natasha on Tuesday resumed her office after a six-month suspension from the Chamber over the sudden change of her seat.
The organisation also asked the Senate to immediately pay all outstanding salaries and allowances of the lawmaker, noting that her suspension was illegal.
SERAP wrote, “We welcome the return of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Senate today. She should never have been suspended in the first place simply for peacefully exercising her human rights.
“Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Senate must immediately apologise to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the people of her Kogi Central constituency for the blatant violations of her human rights.
“The apology would be part of providing redress to Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for the violations of her human rights and the right of her constituency to effective representation.
“Senator Akpabio must immediately ensure that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan is fully paid all her outstanding salaries and allowances.”
The organisation continued that Akpabio and the Senate should ensure and publicly commit to guarantees of non-recurrence.
“Senator Akpabio and the Senate should publicly commit to upholding and ensuring the human rights of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, and to allow her to freely carry out her legislative and other functions.
“No one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission’. Being a senator does not deprive Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.”
SERAP added that the Senate should be setting an example by upholding the rule of law and promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, “not stamping them out”.
“A higher degree of tolerance is expected when it is a political speech, and an even higher threshold is required when it is directed towards government officials, including members of the Senate,” it concluded.
