In Nigeria, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued an ultimatum to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, demanding the reversal of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension for expressing her views. SERAP asserts the suspension violates freedom of expression and undermines democracy, warning of potential legal action if not addressed.
- By Osaigbovo Okungbowa
ABUJA, Nigeria — A legal maelstrom is brewing in Nigeria’s Senate as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) issues a stark ultimatum to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
SERAP’s emphatic open letter demands that the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan be immediately reversed, warning that failure to comply within 48 hours will result in legal action.
The senator, suspended for six months on allegations of “speaking without permission” and refusing her reassigned seat, has seen her salary, allowances, and even her right to identify as a lawmaker stripped away.
SERAP deems the suspension “patently unlawful” and an outrageous infringement on her constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression.
Drawing on Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights treaties, SERAP argues that punishing a senator for voicing her opinions sets a dangerous precedent that threatens democratic norms.
Critics have condemned the Senate’s draconian measures, arguing that the suspension undermines effective representation for the people of Kogi Central.
The electorate is now left voiceless, as the punitive action not only silences a duly elected representative but also sends a chilling message to other lawmakers about the perils of dissent.
Political analysts suggest that such repressive tactics, if left unchallenged, could erode public trust and destabilise Nigeria’s fragile democratic institutions.
SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, has fiercely maintained that no senator should be punished simply for exercising her right to free speech.
“The Senate must be a fortress for the rule of law and human rights, not a vehicle for censorship and intimidation,” he asserted.
Legal experts have echoed these sentiments, warning that the Senate’s actions violate both national statutes and international legal standards.
As public outrage mounts and calls for justice intensify, all eyes are now on Akpabio.
The next 48 hours will be decisive in determining whether Nigeria’s upper chamber will uphold democratic principles or succumb to a trend of suppressing dissent through authoritarian measures.
Lawmakers, civil society and concerned citizens now await Akpabio’s decision, fearing that any delay may signal the onset of deeper authoritarianism in Nigeria’s Senate.
