Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has cautioned security agencies against investigating how suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York. Falana warned that such a probe could lead to unnecessary embarrassment for Nigeria.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria criticized the reported investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). He noted that focusing on how the senator traveled to the IPU meeting could put the country in an awkward position internationally.
Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke at the IPU meeting on March 11, where she addressed her suspension from the Senate. She claimed that the decision to suspend her was meant to silence her after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Reacting to her speech, Akpabio told the Senate that the senator’s actions had embarrassed both the government and the people of Nigeria. Following this, reports surfaced that security agencies were looking into how she managed to attend the meeting without an official nomination.
However, Falana argued that such an investigation would only bring more controversy and could even put some officials of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in a difficult position.
His statement reads in part: “Finally, it is public knowledge that the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio had accused Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of embarrassing the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by reporting her suspension by the Senate to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
“Contrary to the jaundiced views of the senate leader, it is the official probe of the circumstances of her trip by security forces that will expose Nigeria to needless embarrassment and undeserved ridicule.”
Falana also referenced past incidents under the Sani Abacha military regime, where officials faced criticism for traveling abroad to speak against the government. He noted that a similar situation could arise if the probe into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s trip continues.
