By: Chidi Yadiba, Onitsha.
The recent drama in the Senate between the Senator representing Kogi Central, Sen, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio over a sudden seat arrangement of Sen.Natasha which later led to alleged sexual harassment of the Senate President on Natasha has been described as one of the biggest drama in Nigeria’s legislative house.
The female Senator had accused Senator Akpabio of sexual advances which she had always rejected. She said that since she refused Akpabio’s inordinate sexual libido compared to that of a he-goat, the Senate President had resorted to intimidation to cow her to submission.
While taking a cursory look at the kind of people representing Nigerians in the Federal Legislature, an Onitsha-based human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Ben Uzuegbu regretted that the nation’s senators were being paid millions of naira monthly, including other benefits in an ailing economy for doing no serious job, adding that what the country needs now is a unicameral legislature.
Chief Uzuegbu explained that the bicameral legislature was draining the country’s economy and needed to be quashed for only one legislative house to save money and resources for Nigeria.
The human rights activist stated that he was not surprised that Sen.Natasha has returned to the Senate after being slammed six months suspension without pay by the Senate.
Uzuegbu had earlier argued that the suspension of Sen.Akpoti-Uduaghan would not stand after revealing similar cases of suspension of Sen.Abdul Ningi and others for their outspokenness on the floor of the Senate.
The fiery lawyer said that instead of enacting good and workable laws for the country some people were using their privileged positions to intimidate others.
He further highlighted that the federal lawmakers should be on a part-time basis like other civilized democracies in the world, as Nigerian leaders have often claimed that the country is poor.
“We can not continue to waste the nation’s resources on Senators and Hon members in the House of Representatives for duplication of duties which could be done by one legislative arm”.
