Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has resubmitted a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs reintroduced the petition during Thursday’s plenary after it was previously dismissed by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.
While presenting the petition, Akpoti-Uduaghan stated that it was filed on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu.
Following the presentation, Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked whether there were any legal obstacles to accepting the petition, to which Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan responded that there were none.
Akpabio then instructed her to formally lay the petition before the Senate. It was subsequently referred to the Ethics Committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen, with a directive to report back to the plenary within four weeks after legislative review.
This development follows an earlier controversy on Wednesday when Akpoti-Uduaghan initially presented the sexual harassment petition against Akpabio. During that session, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North) raised a point of order, citing Senate Standing Order 40.
Monguno argued that the petition could not be entertained or referred to the Ethics Committee, as the matter was sub judice due to an ongoing court case involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President.
He further contended that the petition was inadmissible since Akpoti-Uduaghan had personally signed it.
As a result, the Senate Ethics Committee dismissed the petition, deeming it “dead on arrival.”
