Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has responded sharply to criticism from her colleague, Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), by calling on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to carry out periodic drug tests on members of the National Assembly.
The call follows Senator Karimi’s recent remarks in which he described the developments involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio as “a total mess and an embarrassment.”
Karimi had earlier condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct, alleging that her actions had brought shame to Kogi State and Nigeria as a whole. He said, “All our admonition to her fell on deaf ears. One can therefore come to terms with the fact that former Governor Yahaya Bello saw it coming.”
“Senator Natasha has not only rubbished the perception of the state; from the events happening now in Nigeria, she has also embarrassed the entire country,” Karimi added.
In a swift reaction on Sunday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan issued a statement urging the NDLEA to intervene by instituting regular drug screenings for legislators to curb what she termed irrational behaviour in the Senate.
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“NDLEA needs to conduct periodic tests on senators. That singular process will save the parliament from erratic legislative hallucinations,” she stated.
While the proposal has sparked fresh debate, the concept of drug integrity testing among public officials is not new. NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), has previously advocated drug tests as a prerequisite for political aspirants. Similarly, the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) implemented drug screening for chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the state.
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