Former Adamawa North Senator, Elisha Ishaku Abbo, has stated that no one can remove Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the 10th Senate.
Speaking on Arise News on April 2, Abbo criticized how the Senate handled Natasha’s suspension. He accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of being politically biased and acting unfairly.
“If Akpabio was not suspended because of a seat in the 8th Assembly, why are you suspending Natasha for six months if your only motivation is because of a seat?” he asked.
Abbo compared Natasha’s suspension to a past issue involving Akpabio and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, which was resolved in a more mature way.
“In the case of Natasha, it took a different dimension. He sat like the emperor that he claims he is and said the woman should be suspended for six months, withdrew her security, stopped payment of her salary, barred her from being seen near the National Assembly building, and even ordered the Inspector General of Police not to provide her with security.”he said
He also expressed concern that withdrawing Natasha’s security could put her life in danger.
“In another way, he exposed her to be killed. When you withdraw somebody’s security—which is not right—that means you are exposing her to be killed. The IG realised that it was not a good thing to do because if tomorrow they hear that Natasha is killed, something will happen.”
Questioning the legality of the suspension, Abbo pointed out that Natasha had obtained a court order stopping the Senate from investigating her alleged misconduct. However, he claimed the Senate ignored this ruling.
“The Senate went against the court judgement and suspended her—that is contempt of court,” he said. “It was after they finished suspending Natasha that they went to court to vacate the order barring them. And I’m sorry to use this word, but instead of arresting Akpabio for contempt of court, the judge cowardly vacated his own judgement and recused himself from the case.”
Addressing rumors of a plan to recall Natasha, Abbo dismissed the idea, calling it a fraudulent scheme that had no real support.
“Senator Natasha should continue doing what she is doing. I heard that they want to recall her—nobody can recall Natasha. Take note and write it down, we are not a banana republic. They went to forge signatures.”he said
