The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has thrown out a sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
During a hearing at the National Assembly on Wednesday, the committee’s chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, stated that the petition was invalid due to procedural errors. He explained that Senate Order 40, Subsection 4, does not allow a senator to personally sign and submit a petition. Instead, it must be endorsed by another individual. Because Akpoti-Uduaghan signed the petition herself, the committee ruled it inadmissible.
Imasuen also noted that the issues raised in the petition were already being addressed in court, making them subjudice. “The petition that she (Natasha) presented today is actually dead on arrival; it runs contrary to Order 40, Subsection 4, which states that no senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself. Since that petition was signed by her, it will not be entertained by this committee,” he said.
Despite the committee scheduling a hearing for the petition, Akpoti-Uduaghan did not attend the session. The meeting, set for 2 p.m., was delayed until 2:58 p.m. when Imasuen arrived. Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu appeared at 2:50 p.m., but Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent.
Earlier in the day, the Senate received Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition, in which she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment. The Senate President, however, firmly denied the allegations, calling them baseless.
“At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria,” Akpabio stated.
