By Frank Tietie
On Thursday, I was feeling unwell after two sleepless nights spent working on a fundamental human rights matter when the producer/director informed me that I was scheduled to appear on Arise News Night to discuss the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Nigerian Senate. I considered declining the assignment, especially since laryngitis had set in that afternoon and I was losing my voice.
However, I was unhappy with the Senate’s decision and felt that this might be my only opportunity to express my thoughts on the matter in mainstream media. Since I had not appeared in media for about a month, I chose to push through the discomfort. Despite the quality of my voice, the news producers still cleared me to enter the studio, and it was up to me to project my voice as best as I could for the microphone to pick it up.
I endured this strain to emphasize that our national leadership has the potential to improve rather than cling to outdated methods of intimidation, often employed by leaders who feel insecure.
In my 15 years as a public affairs commentator and news analyst, I have consistently observed that our leaders miss significant opportunities to enhance sociopolitical engagement among the Nigerian people. People management skills should not be limited to the corporate world; they are essential in all interpersonal interactions to prevent conflicts and misunderstandings.
Consider how much of the turmoil surrounding the Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan incident could have been avoided if the respected Senate President had chosen to ignore the female senator or had simply allowed her to remain in her original position.
Furthermore, the leadership of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions made a critical error by declaring Natasha’s petition “dead on arrival.” They could have directed that any mistakes or errors be corrected and attended to the petition perhaps a month or even six months later before making any recommendations.
The rush to dismiss Natasha’s petition and subsequently suspend her for six months clearly indicates weak, insecure, and incompetent leadership that has abused its privileges and powers to intimidate and silence an individual female senator for holding differing opinions.
Democracy is not about the majority using its power to oppress the minority; it is not about the dictatorship of the majority. Instead, it is about the collective power of the state (the majority) protecting the individual rights of all persons.
The actions taken by the Nigerian Senate against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan are plainly anti-democratic, and if not immediately reversed, they will confirm Nigeria’s status as a country practicing modern democracy out of convenience. The consequences of this are frightening to contemplate.
Frank Tietie, Esq.
Lawyer & Executive Director,
Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER)
NB. To watch my news comments on the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, click here👇🏾
