- Safiu Kehinde
Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has called for the immediate recall of embattled Kogi lawmaker, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following the completion of her six months suspension by the Senate.
Ezekwesili made the call in a memo shared on her official X handle on Wednesday.
Reacting to the National Assembly’s rejection of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s request to resume, the former Education Minister, in the memo dated September 9, accused the Senate of misappropriating public office powers to break laws and breach the constitution.
She charged the Red Chamber to recall Akpoti-Uduaghan without delay, describing the rejection of her request as a democratic assault.
“I had to write this memo despite my considered decision to stop wasting my effort on an evidently unreasonable political class.
“There is sufficient reason to believe that those in power have chosen self-destruction, and no counsel can stop them.
“Yet I make one more attempt to caution against this latest democratic assault.
“To the Senate and Senators: Rescind your unconstitutional decision immediately. Recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan without delay.
“Cease your scandalous misappropriation of public office powers to break laws and breach our Constitution.
“Demonstrate that Nigeria’s commitment to justice, constitutional governance, and rule of law is substantive, not rhetorical. End this hubris now.” She wrote.
Prior to her demands, Ezekwesili recalled the sexual allegation scandal between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
She accused the legislative chamber of handling the case with impunity while also faulting Nigerians who viewed the case as an unserious personal quarrel.
Ezekwesili harped on the provisions of the constitution which, according to her, granted citizens more power than those in office.
She however decried the perception of some Nigerians over the scandal, stressing that if a duly elected Senator can be silenced for exercising constitutional rights to petition and speak, no protection exists for ordinary citizens.
“When the Senate became both accuser and judge in matters involving its leadership, accountability disappeared on this matter.
“Recall how the Senate Ethics Committee chairman, declared Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition “dead on arrival” before investigation, stating “Akpabio could not have committed sexual harassment.”
“That prejudgment revealed a system designed to protect power rather than pursue truth. Some people dismiss this case as an “unserious personal quarrel” irrelevant to suffering Nigerians. Such a view terribly misunderstands the stakes.
“The Akpoti-Uduaghan versus Akpabio matter reveals how those entrusted with constitutional power act with impunity. The Constitution grants citizens more power than those in office.
“However, when majority of our citizens remain unconcerned instead of demanding accountability collectively, constitutional breaches like Senate President Akpabio’s will continue to compound and endanger all.
“This case transcends one Senator or constituency—it concerns our democracy’s soul and our collective responsibility to protect it.
“If a duly elected Senator can be silenced for exercising constitutional rights to petition and speak, what protection exists for ordinary citizens?
“Democracy thrives when citizens refuse to be silent spectators to injustice. When we allow one citizen’s rights to be trampled, we enable abuse of our democratic freedoms.
“As Thomas Jefferson taught: the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Ezekwesili wrote.
The former Presidential candidate charged Nigerians to unify their voices and take a collective stand against the continuing constitutional assault.