The party however, fell short of stating the action it would take to protect Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan
In a usually tepid act of opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) merely condemned the alleged plan by the Senate to bar Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resumption.
Sen Uduaghan is currently serving a six-month suspension and expected to resume when her colleagues return from the annual recess that ends September 23.
It has however, been reported that the Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria has released a communication asserting that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan may not be allowed to resume at the expiration of her suspension due to a pending court order.
Responding to the stance of the management of the National Assembly, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba issued a statement, Tuesday in Abuja to condemn it.
Ologunagba said that the reported action by the Clerk of the National Assembly was a calculated attempt to abridge the right of representation of the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District and deny them a voice at the highest law-making body in the country.
He noted that the attempt to use the National Assembly establishment against an elected Senator was in gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) and the Standing Rules of the Senate.
According to him, this constitutes a clear danger to the democracy of the country and attempt to silent the opposition and attacks on the right of women.
Ologunagba called on the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio to come clean of the matter.
He said that the extreme persecution of six months suspension unjustly imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan, “contrary to the Rules of the Senate” was more than enough.
He expressed the PDP solidarity with the people of Kogi Central and all well-meaning Nigerians in condemning the unwarranted renewed plot against the lawmaker.
The PDP national publicity secretary called on the Clerk of the National Assembly to withdraw the said letter and play by the rules by being neutral as a bureaucrat.
He advised the Clark not to allow himself to be politically entangled and used as a tool to undermine democracy and the Rule of Law in the National Assembly and Nigeria.
He also urged Akpoti-Uduaghan to discountenance the reported letter by the Clerk of the National Assembly and get ready to resume at the Senate.
He further called on the Senate leadership to ensure that Akpoti-Uduaghan was allowed to resume her duties and perform her roles as an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria unhindered.
Mr. Ologunagba, however, did not state the action that the leadership of the PDP, Nigeria’s leading opposition party would take in the event that the National Assembly prevented Sen Uduaghan from resuming at the senate.
