…The Senate lacks the Power to suspend a Senator beyond a reasonable period not exceeding 14 Days as it violates the rights of the constituents
Barr Voeldong Dabilong has faulted the six months suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Nigerian Senate following her accusation of the Senate President Godswill Akpabio for sexual harassment
Relying on past courts judgments that nullified and voided the suspension of parliamentarians, he said “the Suspension of Sen Natasha Akpoti Uduagan is an affront to the Judiciary were in the past the Judiciary have on several occasions frowned at such display of Legislative impunity”
He also decried the way and manner the suspension was hurriedly carried out by the accused as “Namo Judex in Casa Sua” – being a judge in one’s case
Speaking with Trill Times News on Friday, the solicitor of the Federal Republic said “her suspension does not followed due process. You can’t be a judge in your own case and yet you refused to give yourself favourable judgment.
He said the Privileges and Ethics Committee members are subordinates of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio therefore, the could only be acting the scripts of Akpabio, their boss. “The Privileges & Ethics Committee of the Senate saddle with the responsibility are for Akpabio then what do you expect about the report? All of them in that Committee are his (Akpabio’s) subordinates. Will you expect fair judgment?
“Technically Akpabio sat over his matter. In law it is referred to as “Namo Judex in Casa Sua“. You can’t be a judge in your own case. Those that sat on that matter are for Akpabio.”
“The Suspension has adverse effect on her constituents considering the fact that they will be deprived of a voice to represent them. To advocate on their behalf on issues affecting her constituents, they’ve been denied of their problems to be aired out, she is their own representative, she is the one to present their matter before the Senate for consideration now that she’s not there who will stand for them, is a very pathetic situation, this is somebody that has been very active up and doing
Recounting past occurrences, Bar Dabilong said “similar things had occurred before now. You can see the case of Sen Ali Ndume Vs Senate (2018) were the Court declared his suspension as illegal and ordered that all his salaries and allowances be paid.
Stressing previous judgments, he cited “the Court of Appeal further said that the Senate lacks the power to suspend a senator beyond a reasonable period not exceeding 14 days as it violates the rights of the constituents. See Also Speaker Bauchi State House of Assembly Vs Hon Rifkatu Samson. The suspension of Sen Natasha Akpoti Uduagan is an affront to the Judiciary were in the past the Judiciary have on several occasions frowned at such display of Legislative impunity, he concluded
