Senate Committee Throws out Natasha’s Sexual Harassment Petition against Akpabio

*Senate president denies allegation, restates high regard for women

*Ethics panel defies court order stopping Natasha’s probe, Kogi senator shuns ethics committee public hearing

*Panel vows to submit report today, may recommend her suspension

*UK parliamentarian monitors senate proceedings

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has asked the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to commence investigation into the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against him by the Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The development followed the presentation of a petition personally written by Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Senate at plenary which was monitored by a delegation of a United Kingdom Parliamentarian led by a woman. Kate Ofunne Osamor.

Akpoti-Uduaghan who arrived the National Assembly complex in company with her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, entered the chamber after he gave her a kiss at the entrance

Attempts by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, and the Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, to make Akpabio reverse his ruling failed.

Both Bamidele and Monguno had quoted the relevant rules of the Senate to convince Akpabio to rescind his decision on the matter because it was against the practice of the red chamber to allow petitions personally written and signed by a serving senator.

Akpabio noted their observations but said the ruling would not be reversed and even refuses allow the Senate dissolved into closed session because of the foreign and local visitors who were observing the proceeding.

The UK Parliamentary delegation was led by MP Kate Osamor of Edmonton & Winchmore Hill. Other members on the team comprises member of the Parliament for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweeddale, Rt. Hon. David Mundell and member of the Parliament for Westminster North, Dame Karen Buck.

Other members are of the House of Lords, Lord Jonathan Oates, member of the Parliament for Worthing West, Dr. Beccy Cooper and member of the Parliament for Plymouth Moor View, Rt Hon. Fred Thomas, among others.

Akpabio described Natasha’s sexual harassment allegation as spurious, saying that he had highest regard for women.

He said, “On February 2025, there were some spurious allegations making the rounds in the social media and on television of a purported harassment by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

“While I am aware that the matters are in court, however, I would like to state clearly that at no time did I ever attempt any sexual harassment.

“I have my siblings who were raised very well by my late single mother through very difficult times. She died in the year 2000. I therefore have the highest regards for women.

“I also wish to say that I have four beautiful daughters. At no time will I ever harass any woman.

“I never do so. In addition, even as a state governor, I was awarded various awards. One of them was “the most gender friendly governor” in Nigeria.

“I served between 2007 and 2015. In conclusion, I urge all Nigerians, particularly the media and members of the social media, to await the court’s decision. Please do not jump to conclusions on this allegation.”

The Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Cyril Fasuyi, vowed to come up with a petition against Akpoti-Uduaghan who allegedly claimed that former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, had sold the Ajaokuta Steel Firm when he was a Minister.

Early on Wednesday, an Abuja Federal High Court had restrained the Senate Committee on Code of Conduct and Public Petitions from probing the Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over incident of disorder over reallocation of seats in the chamber.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who granted the interim injunction among others, ordered the National Assembly, Senate and the Senate Committee on Ethics to suspend the hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

The defendants, including the Clerk to the National Assembly, Clerk of the Senate and the Committee on Ethics, are to show cause within 72 hours why an interlocutory injunction to stop the hearing should not be granted.

The Court action was sequel to the decision the Senate through its Ethics Committee to probe the allegations of misconduct against Akpoti-Uduaghan, during plenary last week.

The Ethics Panel had asked Akpoti-Uduaghan to appear before it to answer questions on the alleged misconduct during plenary.

The Committee chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen shunned the Court order and sat on the matter after plenary.

The panel listened to presentation by the Senate Spokesperson, Adeyemi Adaramodu, who moved the motion on the floor which led to the Senate resolution to probe Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged misconduct through the Ethics Panel.

Adaramodu lamented that the actions of Akpoti-Uduaghan through the interviews she had granted to the media had negativity affected the image of the Senate.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Titus Zam, also made a presentation before the panel.

He debunked claims that Akpabio was deliberately frustrating Akpoti-Uduaghan’s motions and bills because of her alleged refusal to accept the Senate President’s sexual advances.

He explained that all her bills and motions followed due process.

Similarly, the Head of the Serjeant-At-Arms in the Chamber, Mr. Muktar Usman Daudawa, also made a presentation before the panel.

Daudawa explained that the issue of seat reallocation was a normal routine in the chamber and that Akpoti-Uduaghan was not the only senator affected.

The Chairman of the Committee said the Kogi Central Senator did not probably honour the panel’s invitation because she was obviously obeying her lawyers’ legal advice.

He said the judiciary, a different arm of government cannot interfere in the affairs of the legislature, hence the court order obtained by Akpoti-Uduaghan was not binding on the committee.

He also declared that the Kogi Central Senator’s petition, referred to it by the Senate President was dead on arrival.

Imasuen said, “In the plenary on the floor of the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan presented a petition before the Senate.

“There were a lot of objections to that petition because of the manner in which it came. But in the wisdom of the Senate President, it was still referred to us, to this committee.

“And for us to save time because we need to report back to the Senate tomorrow (today), I will address that petition. But I will go through our rules and our standing orders as amended. That petition, for what you read on the floor and for what I’ve seen, is making some allegations that are already in court.

“The matter is already in court. And it is the procedure of this committee. As a matter of fact, the first thing we ask when the petition comes before us is whether or not that petition is before any law court.

“If the answer is yes, we do not touch such petitions. In addition to that, our Rule Book, also, under Order 40, has also laid down the processes that must be followed before a petition is laid. And if you will allow me, Order 40 of our Rule Book, Subsection 4, says that no Senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself.

“In other words, I cannot submit a petition about myself, signed by myself. That petition ought to be presented by another Senator. And I’m sure that there are three Senators from Kogi State, as it is with other states.

“The issue before us today is the issue of an alleged misconduct of one of our distinguished senators on the floor of the Senate.

“The petition she presented today is actually dead on arrival. I say that because it runs contrary to Order 40, Subsection 4, that no Senator should present to the Senate, a petition signed by him or herself. And that petition, having been signed by her, will not be entertained by this committee.

“She (Akpoti-Uduaghan is not here. Now I can understand why she’s not here. She’s probably not here on the order of her lawyers.

“That being the case, the committee will sit and we will deliberate on what we’ve gotten from distinguished senators that have presented their cases before us.

“We will use our rule books and all other documents that are available to us, to make a decision here and then make a referral to the full Senate”

Meanwhile, a group, the Kogi Central Concerned Stakeholders have faulted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s action against Akpabio and had tendered unreserved apology.

The convener of the group, AbdulRaheem Adeku in the open letter to Akpabio, dissociated the district from Senator Natasha’s actions.

Part of the statement read, “We the Kogi Central Concerned Stakeholders have observed with utmost dismay the ongoing brickbat between the Senate President, distinguished senator Godswill Akpabio and the senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti.

“We wish to firmly dissociate ourselves from the unfolding events that has become a national concern.

“As a revered institution of government, there is no gain saying that the National Assembly has standing rules that must be obeyed as an integral part of keeping the order.

“We regret to note in absolute terms that a matter that has to do with a simple compliance to rules has degenerated to a vitreous attack on the personality of the distinguished senate president, Godswill Akpabio.

“We recall the immense support the senate President extended to Senator Natasha long before she became a member of the National assembly by virtue of his relationship with her then fiancée now husband who has been a family friend for over twenty years.

“We shall not forget in a hurry how Kogi Central stood still with when Senator Akpabio led a contingent of very important personalities and politicians to attend the wedding ceremony of now senator Natasha to his friend and ally, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan.

“It is a wedding ceremony that remained talk of the town even many months later.

This is testament to the respect shared and value of the relationship between Senator Akpabio and his friend, our in-law.

“We would like to categorically dissociate and distance ourselves from the uncanny and inappropriate behavior of Senator Natasha.

“As a people we are known for showing gratitude, loyalty and fidelity to friendship, we therefore condemn the actions, utterances and smear campaign of our daughter against distinguished senate president, Godswill Akpabio.

“This is not in our character, hence, we the Kogi Central Concerned Stakeholders may be compelled by any further stretch of the ongoing public abuse of privilege of representation at the senate, commence the process of recall.”

Meanwhile, protesters who are supporters of Akpoti-Uduaghan on their way to the Mopol gate of the National Assembly were chased away from the Arcade, opposite the Eagle Square.

The protesters, who were waiting for the arrival of others to enable them to converge on the entrance of the National Assembly, were dispersed with tear gas canisters from security men who were not in uniforms to ascertain whether they were policemen or soldiers.

The protesters, led by one of the lawyers to Senator Natasha, Victor Giwa, carried placards, banners and a national flag, started arriving at past 9 am for demonstration ahead of the resumption of Wednesday’s plenary.

The crowd moved to the parking place of the three arms buses to re-strategise for the protest.

The protesters, made up of members of civil society groups of Nigeria, later reconvened carrying placards with inscriptions, “Akpabio must go,” “We stand with Senator Natasha,” “Akpabio is anti-North.”

At the entrance of the National Assembly gate, they were singing and dancing and demanding that Akpabio step down so that a proper investigation into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations could be conducted.

They called on the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to which Senator Natasha alleged misconduct in Chamber has been referred for probe, to recuse itself.

According to them, a man cannot be a judge in his case.

They called on Akpabio to resign his position to allow for an unbiased probe of the allegations.

Speaking during the protest, Giwa claimed that his law firm has obtained a court injunction to stop the Senate Committee on Ethics from proceeding with its assignment.

He said that the chairman and members of the committee cannot be expected to dispense Justice without bias seeing that they were appointed by Akpabio.

There was heavy security presence at the gate of the National Assembly due to the protest.