Natasha’s arraignment: Ezekwesili fires memo to Tinubu, urges him to halt desecration of democracy

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu to halt the further desecration of Nigeria’s democracy with the June 3 arraignment of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Natasha is set to appear before an FCT High Court on a June 3 over charges of maligning the reputation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and ex-Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

She had accused the duo of plotting her assassination in a petition she submitted to the police. But the police, according to Natasha, sidelined her petition and swiftly acted on the complaints of Akpabio and Yahaya Bello that she wrongly accused them.

In a detailed statement posted on her X handle, Ezekwesili urged the president to intervene as Nigeria’s democracy is being turned to a laughing stock.

She said: “The latest act of State Capture by your administration is to collude for reasons of political gain, with the accused Senate President – to silence and repress a citizen who has made serious allegations against him for which he refuses to surrender himself to independent investigation and fair hearing.

“In this case, with your evident approval, the Executive and Legislative arms of Government are about to once again abuse and violate the Judiciary in a flagrant act of impunity against one out of only 4 women Senators in our country. What a shame!

“The criminal charges filed by the Federal Government @NigeriaGov against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is an act of gross irresponsibility, illegality, and irrationality. You must take responsibility for this desecration of our Democracy.

“But you, @officialABAT can walk back from this latest scandal and terminate this egregious violation of the rights of Senator Akpoti- Uduaghan immediately.

“Four things:

1. Please reign in and discipline your Attorney General who is obviously not busy with the important legal reforms necessary for the economic and political progress of the country.

“

2. Specifically instruct the Attorney General to on the 3rd of June, withdraw that wrongheaded, frivolous and dangerous criminal charges against a woman crying out for fair hearing on her sexual harassment case. Your government must stop making a mockery of our democracy in the eyes of the world.

“

3. Instruct the Police IG whom you supervise as C-in-C to immediately investigate all the 12 petitions filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan over the last 3 months on fears for her life. After due investigations, the

@PoliceNG must move immediately to impartially take the next appropriate actions.

“

4. Instruct the IG of Police to immediately reinstate Senator

@NatashaAkpoti‘s security personnel which the Senate President ordered withdrawn in a petty act of retaliation, intimidation and gross abuse of power against Senator Akpoti -Uduaghan for daring to allege that he sexually harassed her.

“As my mother used to say, “A word is sufficient for the wise” and wisdom is ever profitable to direct.

“It is a Choice and every Choice has consequences.

“Will you choose wisdom on this matter ,
@officialABAT or ……. ✍🏾✍🏾✍🏾”