The Nigerian Senate has made it clear that it will not address the ongoing controversy between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio unless a formal petition is submitted. The matter, which has gained significant public attention, involves allegations of misconduct and harassment, but Senate leaders insist they will not deliberate on it based on social media discussions alone.
The dispute stems from a recent incident in the Senate where seating arrangements were altered, leading to a heated exchange involving Senator Natasha. During the confrontation, she accused Senate President Akpabio of sexually harassing her. She claimed that Akpabio had been obstructing her efforts to bring up a motion regarding the Ajaokuta Steel Company because she refused his alleged advances.
Despite the seriousness of the accusation, the Senate’s spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, stated that the legislative body cannot discuss issues that have not been formally presented through proper channels. Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Monday, March 3, 2025, Adaramodu explained that for the matter to be debated, an official complaint must be submitted either by Senator Natasha herself or any concerned individual.
“In the Senate, we don’t conduct our affairs on matters picked on Facebook or in the media and rush to the chamber and start conducting our affairs on that. There must be an explicit complaint from any senator, for that matter, that there’s any misdemeanour that a senator alleges that a (fellow) senator has committed against him or her. Then, the senator will raise it, we will discuss it, and then the whole Senate will decide that this is necessary and worth it,” Adaramodu stated.
He further noted that the Senate operates based on official petitions, not media reports or social media trends. Adaramodu likened the situation to a court case that cannot proceed without a formal complaint filed by the police or a concerned party.
“We do not conduct our legislative business on the pages of newspapers. It is only what is before us that we discuss,” he insisted.
