The ongoing clash between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is a direct test of the integrity and credibility of the Nigerian Senate. If the upper legislative chamber seeks to maintain public trust and uphold democratic principles, this matter must be resolved immediately with transparency and fairness.
The allegations of bias, suppression, and parliamentary overreach highlight deeper issues of power dynamics and ethical conduct within the Senate. A legislative house should not be a platform for personal vendettas or political maneuvering but a sacred institution where democracy thrives. If any senator feels marginalized or unfairly treated, it is a red flag that demands urgent attention.
For a married woman to be so bitter as to come on television and allege sexual harassment and abuse of power suggests that this issue runs far deeper than mere political disagreements. Such serious accusations deserve proper insight into the root causes, as they go beyond politics and speak to the conduct expected of leadership within the Senate.
As a media personality, I belong to numerous local and diaspora discussion platforms, and the outlook is ugly. People are already passing judgment based on antecedents, sentiments, and emotion. This is dangerous because once public perception hardens, it becomes difficult to reverse. Nigerians are watching, and the way this issue is handled will shape public trust in the Senate as an institution.
If the Senate President feels he is being targeted, as his supporters allege, or if Senator Natasha is truly being predated upon for being a woman, as her supporters claim, then the best course of action for fairness and optics is for the Senate President to recuse himself and step aside. This will allow the Deputy Senate President to oversee an independent internal investigation and pass a judgment that either vindicates Akpabio or indicts him.
This is not just about Akpabio or Natasha; it is about the credibility of the Senate. The institution must rise above personal conflicts and partisanship to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done. Fair hearing is a fundamental principle of justice, and anything short of a transparent process will cast a long shadow over the integrity of the legislative arm of government.
The Senate is already under scrutiny for its detachment from the struggles of everyday Nigerians. Allowing internal conflicts to overshadow real legislative work only fuels the perception that lawmakers are more concerned with self-preservation than governance.
To protect the Senate’s integrity, this matter must not be allowed to drag on. A swift, transparent resolution, free from bias, will send a strong message that the Senate remains a house of law, not a battleground for political strongmen.
Hon. Chima Nnadi-Oforgu
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
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