Senator Natasha resubmits sexual harassment petition against Akpabio

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has resubmitted a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.

This time, the petition was submitted on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu. Following the presentation, Akpabio inquired whether there were any legal barriers to accepting the petition, to which Akpoti-Uduaghan responded that there were none.

At 12:38 PM, Akpabio instructed her to formally lay the petition before the Senate, after which it was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South). The committee has been directed to review the petition and report back within four weeks.

This latest development follows a similar petition submitted by Akpoti-Uduaghan the previous day, which was dismissed after Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North) cited Senate Standing Order 40. Monguno argued that the matter was sub judice due to an ongoing court case between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President.

He also contended that the petition was invalid since Akpoti-Uduaghan had personally signed it. As a result, the Senate Ethics Committee ruled the petition “dead on arrival.”

The renewed petition further escalates tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, coming just days after a heated exchange in the Senate chamber. Last Thursday, Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio, alleging that her nameplate had been removed without justification.