Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti

The former Chairperson of the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ekiti State Branch and Chairperson of the Gender Relevance Initiatives Promotion, Rita Revbare, has challenged the leadership of the Nigerian Senate not to gloss over the physical assault on a woman by Senator Elisha Abbo.

Related: Senator to be investigated for assault at Abuja sex shop

Revbare said that the assault by the Adamawa Senator, captured on CCTV camera, reflects negatively on the entire National Assembly as an institution.

Abbo was captured on video physically assaulting a woman who had pleaded with him not to assault the owner of an adult sex toy shop whom the Senator had accused of insulting him.

An online newspaper had exclusively obtained and reported the video of the assault which allegedly occurred on May 11 this year.

Related: My sex toy shop assault video story -Senator Abbo

Reacting to the development in a chat with the Guardian, the former Chairperson of FIDA said that “this is a very good example of when Nigeria can rise to say, whether you are a Senator or ordinary citizens, once there is a breach of law it should be treated as such.”

She urged the police to conduct an investigation and, if found guilty, Abbo should face the wrath of the law to show that nobody is above the law.

“We would like to say that it is not only the Senate that is on trial. The entire National Assembly is on trial. So it will be good if the National Assembly can step in and look at the matter. Besides the fact that he is personally responsible for his crime, it can rub off on the Senate. It will show whether we the citizens should accord it respect.

“The reason why the law should take its course is not because he is a Senator but because he is a citizen that should be responsible and accountable. The reason why I am calling on the police to do its job is because no one is guilty until it is proven beyond reasonable doubt.

“Nigeria is not a lawless society. Once there is investigation and he is found culpable, he should be prosecuted. My emphasis is not because he is a Senator but that every citizen must be responsible. Laws are made for us to be obeyed. Once there are two sets of laws for different people, that could amount to injustice. Once there is injustice it can breed chaos and it will affect everybody.

“As a Senator, greater responsibilities behove on them. It is not for them to enjoy the pecks of office; they should show example and be above board,” she said.