Members of the Human Rights Community in Edo South Senatorial District have called for the removal of Senator Neda Bernards Imasuen, who represents the district in the Senate.
They accuse him of failure, corruption, abuse of office, and betrayal of public trust. But the Senator says he has done nothing to deserve being recalled.
The group issued a 14-day ultimatum to relevant authorities, warning, “If no action is taken, we will mobilize mass protests, pursue legal action, and escalate our demands nationally and internationally.”
In a petition they urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to “begin immediate verification of recall signatures and schedule a referendum,” stressing that “any delay will be considered a deliberate attempt to undermine democracy.”
They also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and Interpol to “launch a full criminal investigation into his financial dealings, including international fraud allegations,” and to “ensure his prosecution if found culpable.”
The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) were also urged to commence disciplinary proceedings against Senator Imasuen “for gross violations of ethics and public trust.”
The petitioners further demanded that the Senate “immediately remove him as Chairman of the Ethics Committee pending investigation.”
The senator was accused of neglecting his constituents. “No constituency projects, no engagement, no accountability. No town hall meetings since his assumption of office, leaving constituents completely disconnected from governance,” the petitioners alleged.
in his response, Senator Imasuen, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition, refuted the allegations. He claimed that the petitioners were being funded by certain individuals from neighboring Kogi State.
He clarified that his committee’s ruling on the dispute between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central was not about allegations of sexual harassment but rather procedural impropriety in the petition’s submission.
“The petitioner, against Senate rules, signed the petition,” he explained.
Senator Imasuen emphasized that the Ethics Committee is a 29-member standing committee, not an ad-hoc one. “I have been very fair in all that I have been doing. I have not been biased towards anybody,” he stated.
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