According to the group, “we urge Dr Saraki to respect the legal process currently in motion and refrain from statements that may inadvertently pressure or prejudice the Senate’s orderly handling of this sensitive issue. “It is only the courts and the Ethics Committee, within their respective mandates, that are the proper avenues for resolution.
“Nigerians expect the Senate to remain committed to upholding its integrity and credibility and to do so within the bounds of the law and its own rules.”
In a statement made available to journalists in Uyo on Monday and endorsed by Edidiong John, National President and Kemfon Neke National secretary, the group said,
They added, “While we respect Dr. Saraki’s right to express his views, it is imperative to clarify certain facts in the public domain and address the implications of his statement in light of established legal and procedural principles, which Dr. Saraki, as a former presiding officer of the Senate, ought to be fully aware of.
“Firstly, information widely available in the public sphere indicates that Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, wife of the Senate President, has initiated legal action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“This lawsuit, filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, includes claims of defamation and violation of fundamental rights, stemming directly from Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Mrs. Akpabio’s legal action is on behalf of her family, asserting that the senator’s claims have caused reputational damage and emotional distress. The veracity of these allegations and the culpability of the parties involved are now squarely before a court of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria.”
They further highlighted, “This development, by virtue of the Senate’s own rule book, deprives the National Assembly of further jurisdiction to entertain the matter, as it is sub judice, a principle designed to prevent legislative entanglement in ongoing judicial proceedings.
“Dr. Saraki, with his extensive experience as a former Senate President, is or ought to be conversant with the Senate’s Standing Orders, particularly those prohibiting the consideration of matters pending before the courts.
“The pendency of this case in the judicial system renders any parallel investigation by the Senate improper and beyond its authority at this stage.
“This is not a matter of politicization or trivialization, as Dr. Saraki suggests, but a straightforward application of legal and parliamentary norms”.
“Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the allegations in question, which Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan claims date back to December 8, 2023, were not promptly reported to the police despite constituting a potential criminal offense nor submitted to the Senate’s Ethics and Public Petitions Committee for immediate redress, as provided under the Senate’s rules.
“Instead, the senator chose to first air her grievances on a television program, bypassing established remedial options available under Nigerian law and Senate procedure.
“This sequence of events raises questions about the intent behind her approach, which Mrs. Akpabio has interpreted as defamatory, prompting her to seek judicial recourse. The court is now the appropriate forum to test the senator’s claims, and it is there that she must substantiate her assertions, as the law in Nigeria remains clear: he or she who alleges must prove.
“Dr. Saraki’s call for an ‘open, transparent, and honest investigation’ by the Senate, while well-intentioned, overlooks these critical realities.
“His status as a former presiding officer suggests he should recognize the Senate’s limited options in the face of an ongoing court case.
“Senator Akpabio, as Senate President, is not a member of the judiciary and cannot usurp its role in adjudicating this dispute. Rather than taunting the Senate or creating confusion with suggestions of legislative overreach, Dr. Saraki would do well to place confidence in the judicial system and await its verdict.
“It should also be noted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has indeed submitted a petition to the Senate regarding this matter. That petition has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen.
“It is this committee that will determine, in the first instance, whether the Senate retains jurisdiction to address the issue, given the subjudice nature of the allegations. This process is already underway, and any further agitation outside this framework risks undermining the Senate’s own procedures.”
