Redirect your energy to legislative duties, group tells Natasha Akpoti

The Citizens Network for Peace and Development, a civil society organisation (CSO), has asked Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, to redirect her energy to legislative duties.

In a statement, Francis Wainwei, the executive director of the CSO, asked the lawmaker to refrain from activities perceived as a distraction to the senate.

On February 20, the Kogi senator was involved in a heated argument with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seat allocation in the upper chamber.

The disagreement began when her seat was reassigned at the start of plenary, but she refused to comply with the relocation.

On Tuesday, the upper chamber referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review.

Speaking on the development, Wainwei said the Kogi senator should be fighting for poor Nigerians rather than fighting over seat allocation in the upper chamber.

He said the leadership of Akpabio must be supported to protect the integrity of the senate.

“We are therefore calling on her to focus on her legislative duties of lawmaking, oversight functions, and representation; ensuring that the interests of her constituents are protected and promoted,” the statement reads.

“She should refrain from engaging in activities that may be perceived as distractions or detrimental to the senate’s image and the nation’s progress.

“Let Senator Natasha deploy her energy to supporting and sponsoring bills that will move this country forward and better the lots of the poor masses rather than fighting for a mere sitting position in the senate that will not contribute in any way to enhancing the quality of her representation or the discharge of her legislative duties.

“She must give priority attention to her primary responsibility as a legislator if she has to be taken seriously or be considered as a senator that’s in the senate for the betterment of the country.”