By Jane Okafor, Abuja
ABUJA: Senator Seriake Dickson has disclosed that he was not aware of the emergency sitting of the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee because he was attending a 3 day workshop on the Tax Reform Bill which started Wednesday 5th of March and ended on the evening of Friday 7 March.
He made the statement when he led members of the opposition lawmakers on a visit to their suspended colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan on Friday 7 March at her residence in Abuja.
He said he was not available to sit as a member of the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, Privileges, and Public Petitions regarding issues concerning their colleague, Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan’s suspension since he was not notified of the emergency sitting of the committee.
The Senator representing Bayelsa
West said he had been assured by the Committee Chairman that the hearing would be on Wednesday, March 11, for which notices had already been issued.
Due to the strong views he had already expressed on the Tax Reform Bills, Senator Dickson and his colleagues worked on the bill , and as a result, was unable to join the plenary session that considered the report of the ethics committee that deliberated on and approved the suspension.
He said during the visit they offered words of encouragement, prayers, and advice on a quick resolution of the issues surrounding her suspension, after hearing from Senator Natasha Uduaghan and her husband for the first time.
The Senator emphasized that they would discuss with their other colleagues on how to intervene and engage with the leadership of the Senate to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.
It would be recalled that the Senate had on March 6 suspended Natasha Akpoti for six months, and also withdrawing her allowances .
