Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, has again submitted a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary. This time, she presented it on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu.
After receiving the petition, Akpabio asked if any legal barriers prevented its acceptance. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan replied that none existed. At 12:38 PM, Akpabio directed her to lay the petition before the Senate. She followed the instruction, and the Senate referred it to the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South). The committee must review it and report back within four weeks.
A day earlier, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan submitted a similar petition, which caused a heated debate. Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North) raised a point of order, citing Senate Standing Order 40. He argued that the case remained sub judice due to an ongoing court case between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Ekaette Akpabio, the Senate President’s wife. Monguno also insisted that since Akpoti-Uduaghan personally signed the petition, the Senate could not consider it. As a result, the Senate Ethics Committee rejected the petition and ruled it “dead on arrival.”
This situation has increased tensions between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio. Last Thursday, she protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio. When she arrived at the session, she saw that officials had removed her nameplate and reassigned her seat. She viewed the action as unjustified and demanded an explanation, adding to the ongoing friction in the Senate.
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