Senate President Godswill Akpabio has reaffirmed that the suspension of Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is final and will not be reversed, despite opposition party leaders’ criticisms.
Speaking over the weekend while addressing a delegation from the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum in Abuja, Akpabio expressed disappointment over comments from opposition figures, stating that they lacked knowledge of the Senate’s rules.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months last Thursday after the Senate adopted recommendations from its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.
Akpabio emphasized that her suspension was a unanimous decision, with no dissenting voices in the Senate.
“You should try to know the facts before making commentaries on television. We advise members of the public to stop misquoting Senate rules on issues they do not understand,” he said.
The Senate President also vowed that the South-South region would not relinquish its leadership position in the Senate, dismissing what he described as conspiracies against him.
“The Senate President of today is not representing himself alone. He is representing a people who are crucial to the economic lifeline of this country.
“When people gang up, I hear voices from Adamawa, Kwara, and even young people from the Southwest being used for something they don’t understand. You can’t be a herbalist and start quoting the Bible; you won’t know what to say.
“If you haven’t studied the Bible, you can’t claim to know it better than the Pope. In the same way, if you are not an Imam, you cannot begin to quote the Quran.
“But people who are not well-informed sit like football commentators, saying Ronaldo should have moved from the left or Messi should have kicked from the center.
“The National Assembly is not something you can comment on without knowledge. Only elected lawmakers receive the Senate’s Red Book or the House of Representatives’ Green Book, which guide legislative procedures.
“When people who have never seen these books debate their provisions, it worries me,” Akpabio added.
He assured the youth delegation that the Senate has internal mechanisms to resolve its issues and considers Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension settled.
Niger Delta Youths Back Akpabio, Seek His Intervention in Regional Issues
Earlier, Ijaw Youth Council President Jonathan Lokpobiri led the delegation to express support for Akpabio amid recent Senate developments. He also urged Akpabio to intervene in political tensions in Rivers State, the delayed takeoff of the Maritime University in Oron, and the extension of the Warri-Itakpe rail line to Abuja.
In response, Akpabio assured them that the President had already addressed concerns regarding the Coastal Road project, while the Senate would work to resolve other regional issues, including the Rivers crisis.
