The Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN) unequivocally condemns the growing dictatorship under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, where dissenting voices are systematically silenced, corruption thrives unchecked, and democracy is continuously undermined.
The reckless suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following the unlawful suspensions of Senator Abdul Ningi and Senator Ali Ndume, confirms that the Senate under Akpabio has become a tool for political victimization rather than a platform for robust democratic engagement.
A Senate That Thrives on Tyranny
Since the inception of the 10th Senate:
Senator Abdul Ningi was suspended for exposing budget padding, a revelation that should have led to an investigation rather than his persecution.
Senator Ali Ndume faced suspension for daring to speak on the unbearable economic hardship Nigerians are facing due to terrible government policies.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has now been targeted for exposing misconduct and standing against injustice.
These actions have reinforced widespread fears that Akpabio is running the Senate like a dictatorship, where voices of truth are seen as threats that must be crushed by the ruling oligarchy.
Akpabio’s Dark History of Corruption and Abuse of Office
The same Senate President Godswill Akpabio was once accused of corruption and abuse of office by the former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), yet he was never called to account. Today, he is using the same Senate he leads to cover up corruption, victimize opposition voices, and suppress accountability.
It is no coincidence that Akpabio’s office suddenly accused Senator Natasha Akpoti of budget padding—conveniently after she accused him of sexual harassment. This move not only reeks of political witch-hunting but also exposes a deeper culture of corruption that must be fully investigated.
The initial budget padding allegations made by Senator Abdul Ningi—and now the counter-allegation against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan—only confirm that corruption runs deep in the Senate under Akpabio’s leadership.
To further highlight the depth of rot in the Senate, we must call attention to Senator Neda Imasuen, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges—the very man who presided over Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unlawful suspension.
This is a man who was permanently disbarred in New York for multimillion-dollar fraud and gross misconduct. A fraudster, barred from practicing law in the U.S., is now deciding ethical matters in Nigeria’s Senate!
According to reports from Peoples Gazette, Imasuen was disbarred for swindling a client, Daphne Shyfield, in 2009—taking legal fees but failing to appear in court. Instead of facing disciplinary action, he fled to Nigeria with stolen funds, leading to his permanent disbarment in May 2010.
How does a man like this end up as the Senate’s ethical watchdog?
MEN’S DEMANDS
In light of these troubling developments, the Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN) makes the following urgent demands:
Immediate reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose only crime was demanding that her petition against the Senate President on sexual harassment be investigated.
A full-scale, independent investigation into allegations of budget padding in the 10th Senate. The Nigerian people deserve to know how their resources are being looted under the guise of governance.
An immediate investigation into allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Senate President Akpabio. The Senate must not be a place where women are subjected to abuse and silenced when they speak out.
An urgent probe into Senator Neda Imasuen’s fraudulent history and how a disbarred lawyer from New York ended up in a position of power in the Nigerian Senate.
The immediate resignation or stepping aside of Godswill Akpabio as Senate President to allow for an unhindered investigation into his involvement in corruption, sexual misconduct, and political victimization.
A return to true democratic values in the Senate, where all voices—whether in support or opposition—are respected, and no lawmaker is suspended for standing with the Nigerian people.
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria belongs to the Nigerian people, not to an oligarchy of corrupt politicians who see public office as their private empire.
If these demands are not met, Nigerians will be left with no choice but to rise in unified resistance against the destruction of democracy.
We refuse to sit back and watch tyranny take root in our legislative institutions. Nigeria must be governed by the rule of law, not the rule of force.
E-SIGNED,
COMRADE-GENERAL
Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN)
National Headquarters, Abuja
March 14th, 2025.