According to a report by Punch, former Senator Ayodele Arise has expressed his strong disapproval of the Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, calling it a disservice to the people of her district.
Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District between 2007 and 2011, criticized the suspension, stating that such a move deprives the constituents of their rightful representation in the Senate.
Speaking on the matter, Arise argued that suspending an elected official is a significant action with far-reaching consequences. “When you suspend an elected person, you deprive that particular district of the right to representation,” he pointed out, emphasizing the importance of maintaining full representation for all districts in the Senate.
Arise’s comments come in the wake of the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which cited multiple infractions against Senate rules. The suspension was formally enacted on March 6, 2025, and has sparked a national conversation about the fairness and legality of such a prolonged sanction.
The former senator’s criticism is based on his belief that such a lengthy suspension could undermine the democratic rights of the people in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s district. He pointed out that the court had previously ruled in cases involving other senators, such as Omo-Agege and Ndume, that suspensions longer than two weeks were not legal. “The court, in the cases of Omo-Agege and Ndume, has said those six months are too long. And is not legal,” Arise stated. “They implied that only two weeks should be appropriate for an erring senator.”
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