The kinsmen of the embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan in Ochiga- Ihima community in Kogi State, have demanded that the investigation of the issue between her and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio should be conducted by an independent investigative body .
A statement signed by the secretary of Ochiga- Ihima Descendants Union, Alhaji Abdul- Aziz Sani and made available to newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara state says that “The verdict of “guilty as charged ” is the probable outcome.
According to him, an independent investigative body or court will best guarantee fair hearing and credible adjudication”.
The lawmaker’s kinsmen also say that the Senate Ethics Committee has lost its credibility to objectively handle the matter, noting that, “the odds are heavily stacked against Natasha”.
The statement calls for unconditional lifting of the six months suspension slammed on her.
It says, “to cajole Natasha to apologise to Akpabio or the Assembly in exchange for lifting her six months suspension is not justice, adding that the Assembly should introspect, look inward in order to protect her collective public/ international image.”
“The six months suspension should be lifted without precondition. Natasha ‘s offence of objecting to relocating her to another seat without her prior knowledge should not attract “capital punishment” that deny the good people of Kogi Central Senatorial District their due representation in the National Assembly,” the statement added.
It also called on President Bola Tinubu and Kogi State governor, Ahmed Ododo to intervene in Natasha/ Akpabio ‘s imbroglio.
The statement urged the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and other security agencies to restore Natasha’s security cover without delay, “to ensure her safety.”
