Oluwatomisin Awogbami, Author at Tribune Online

Constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District have petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions Neda Imasuen of abuse of office. The petition follows the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, despite a court order restraining the Senate Committee from investigating her for alleged misconduct. “Sen. Neda Imasuen disregarded the said Court Order claiming that the Court cannot interfere with the functions of the Senate knowing that, such is not correct in view of the provisions of Section 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which provides that the exercise of legislative powers of the National Assembly SHALL be subject to jurisdiction of the Courts of law and judicial tribunals established by law”, the statement reads. According to the petition, the senators' actions were arbitrary, prejudicial, and in violation of their oath of office. The suspension has resulted in Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan's loss of rights, including attending Senate sessions, receiving financial entitlements, and having security details. The petition, addressed to the chairman of the CCB, draws his “attention to the provisions of paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria in respect of the Code of Conduct for public officers which provides that a public officer shall not do or direct to be done, in abuse of his office, any arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of any other person knowing that such act is unlawful or contrary to any government policy.” ALSO READ: Akpabio vs Natasha: Too many wrongs don’t make a right According to the petition, the Chairman of the Senate panel, Sen. Neda Imasuen, disregarded the Court Order by continuing with the probe and submitting a report claiming that the Court cannot interfere with the functions of the Senate. The petitioners said the action is contrary to “provisions of Section 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which provides that the exercise of legislative powers of the National Assembly SHALL be subject to jurisdiction of the Courts of law and judicial tribunals established by law. The said Sen. Neda Imasuen then proceeded to conduct the proceedings of the Ethics Committee contrary to an extant order of Court served on parties to Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025; Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly.” “In abusing his powers, Sen. Imasuen who invited Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan for a hearing on 11* March, 2025, ended up conducting the hearing on 5th March 2025 without the presence of the said Senator. The Committee quickly sent a fresh invitation letter on the same 5' of March, 2025. Sen. Imasuen's Ethics Committee hurriedly prepared a Report contrary to a valid Court order served on him and presented same on the floor of the Senate on 6th March, 2025. The Sen. Imasuen-led Committee recommended that the said Senator be suspended for six months even when the Rules of the Senate prescribe only 14 Legislatives vide order 67(4) of the Senate Rules. “During the consideration of this unlawful Report, Sen. Akpabio who is the Senate President presided over the adoption of the Report despite knowing about the said restraining order of Court and the Senate Rules which do not permit for such period of suspension to be imposed on a serving Senator. Senator Opeyemi Bamidele who is the Senate leader urged the Senate to adopt the said Report even when he knew about the said restraining order of Court and the Rules of the Senate. The same Sen. Bamidele is a member of the body of Benchers charged with calling young lawyers to the Bar. “The conduct of the above listed Senators apart from been abusive of their office, deeply breaches their oath of office, which enjoins them to perform their functions honestly to the best of their ability and in accordance with the constitution of Nigeria, the laws of Nigeria and the Rules of the Senate. “Their wilfully abusive actions are arbitrary and knowingly prejudicial to the right of Koi Central Constituents of Kogi State to have their elected Senator represent their collective interests in the Senate. “During the consideration of this unlawful Report, Sen. Akpabio who is the Senate President presided over the adoption of the Report despite knowing about the said restraining order of Court and the Senate Rules which do not permit for such period of suspension to be imposed on a serving Senator,” the petition further stated. The constituents argued that the senators' actions breached the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which prohibits public officers from abusing their office. They urged the Code of Conduct Bureau to take action against the senators for their alleged misconduct. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Oluwatomisin Awogbami

Akpabio vs Natasha: Kogi constituents petition CCB over alleged abuse of office

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