The Forum of Aggrieved Constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District has petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) over the alleged abuse of power and violation of the oath of office by three senators, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a petition addressed to the CCB Chairman, the group accused Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, of unlawfully suspending Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in defiance of a court order.
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The petition states, “On 4th March, 2025, the Senator representing our Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan secured an interim order of injunction from the Federal High Court restraining the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct, Sen. Neda Imasuen from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.”
It further alleges that, “Despite being served with the said Court Order, Sen. Neda Imasuen disregarded the said Court Order claiming that the Court cannot interfere with the functions of the Senate knowing that such is not correct in view of the provisions of Section 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.”
According to the petitioners, Imasuen’s committee hastily conducted the hearing on 5th March 2025 without the presence of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, despite initially inviting her for 11th March.
They claimed, “The Committee quickly sent a fresh invitation letter on the same 5th of March, 2025. Sen. Imasuen’s Ethics Committee hurriedly prepared a Report contrary to a valid Court order served on him and presented the same on the floor of the Senate on 6th March, 2025.”
The report recommended a six-month suspension for Akpoti-Uduaghan, a decision the petitioners insist violates Senate Rules.
“The Sen. Imasuen led Committee recommended that the said Senator be suspended for six months even when the Rules of the Senate prescribe only 14 Legislatives vide order 67(4) of the Senate Rules.”
During the Senate’s consideration of the report, Senate President Akpabio presided over its adoption, while Bamidele supported it despite being aware of the restraining court order.
The petition highlights, “Senator Opeyemi Bamidele who is the Senate leader urged the Senate to adopt the said Report even when he knew about the said restraining order of Court and the Rules of the Senate.”
The group argued that the suspension was a direct attack on the rights of Kogi Central constituents to representation in the Senate.
They asserted, “Their wilfully abusive actions are arbitrary and knowingly prejudicial to the right of Kogi Central Constituents of Kogi State to have their elected Senator represent their collective interests in the Senate.”
They demand that the CCB investigate and take appropriate action against the three senators, citing breaches of the Nigerian Constitution.
The petition concludes, “The above-named Senators are therefore in deep contravention of paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule (part 1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.”
The petitioners have urged the Bureau to act under its constitutional powers to address what they describe as a blatant violation of the rule of law.