Anxiety as Natasha Akpoti's six-month suspension from Senate ends

There growing anxiety and anticipation as Senator Natasha Akpoti’s six-month suspension ends from the Senate is ending.

Natasha Akpoti’s suspensio marks the end of a period where her actions were deemed a “direct challenge to the authority of the Senate and a violation of the Senate Standing Orders 2023” by some senators.

Her suspension was a disciplinary action for misconduct, though some sources, like this BBC article in Pidgin, noted that the media spread false information regarding sexual harassment allegations.

Consequently, the expiration of her suspension will likely lead to public and political scrutiny of her return and future conduct.

Apart for considering Senator Akpoti’s misconduct deemed as a direct challenge to the authority of the Senate, it was also attributed to a violation of the Senate Standing Orders 2023.

Similarly, the Senate viewed the suspension as a necessary and justified disciplinary measure to restore order and uphold the integrity of the Senate.

Thus, as the six-month suspension of Natasha Akpoti is ending, Nigerians are anxious of her eventual return to the Senate.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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