Political economist, Pat Utomi, has condemned the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, for presiding over a plenary that led to the suspension of senator representing Kogi Central at the upper legislative chamber, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Mr Utomi, in a post on his X handle on Saturday, said both Mr Akpabio representing Akwa-Ibam North-West and Mr Bamidele representing Ekiti Central, had separate stories that made them unfit for such an exercise.
The Senate handed Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan a six-month suspension for disregarding Senate rules after she accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Mr Utomi said, “It is interesting that Sen. Akpabio who acted worse under Saraki, and Opeyemi Bamidele, whose expulsion from UNIBEN was rescinded on account of absence of fairing, in litigation championed by FFalana SAN, can preside over the charade ongoing in the Senate.”
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegation followed her dissatisfaction with the seating arrangements made during plenary by Mr Akpabio, who also expressed a similar outburst during his time as senator during the Bukola Saraki-led Senate.
Mr Akpabio during senate plenary on October 17, 2018, wanted to respond to an allegation by the then Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Albert Akpan, who accused the All Progressives Congress of plotting trouble during the 2019 governorship election in the state.
The microphone on Mr Akpabio’s seat was malfunctioning, prompting him to opt for that of a Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume. However, Mr Saraki refused to allow Mr Akpabio to speak using the microphone on Ndume’s seat, insisting that he move to another seat with a functioning microphone, assigned to him by the clerk. This led to a rowdy session.
Mr Akpabio later told journalists that Mr Saraki must resign as Senate president because the APC had the majority of seats in the upper chamber.
