The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has criticised the Nigerian Senate over its stand-off with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Afenifere, which expressed disapproval of the Senate’s action, emphasised that the decision not to allow the Kogi Central Senator to resume her legislative duties after serving a six-month suspension is petty, oppressive and distasteful.

According to the frontline Yoruba group, the Senate’s action portrays Nigeria as a banana republic and sets a dangerous political precedent.

Describing the Senate’s position as deeply flawed, the Secretary-General of the organisation, speaking with journalists in Akure, Ondo State, warned that the action could be exploited at other levels of government.

Expressing concern that a similar situation could affect the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, after serving his suspension, Ebiseni maintained that the circumstances surrounding Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension and the severe sanction left much to be desired.

He said: “It is an embarrassing misuse of language to still describe the subject of such action as sub judice. To all intents and purposes the handling of the Natasha saga from the very beginning left much to be desired.

“The present decision is far beneath the status and stature of the Senate and its members. It reeks of pettiness which portrayed Nigeria as a banana Republic. Thus the decision to refuse her resumption even having served the excessive penalty on the untenable ground that the subject matter is still a subject of litigation is distasteful and oppressive.”