Senate committee dismisses Natasha’s petition against Akpabio

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has on Wednesday, dismissed the sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The committee chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, who is representing Edo South, disclosed this during a probe hearing at the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Imasuen expressed that the petition was “dead on arrival,” citing a breach of Order 40 of the Senate Standing Orders.

The committee chairman said Akpoti-Uduaghan signed the petition herself instead of having it endorsed by another individual, making it procedurally invalid.

He further noted that the issues raised in the petition were already before a court of law, making them subjudice and therefore beyond the Senate’s jurisdiction.

Imasuen said, “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.”

It was gathered that the Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to appear before the probe panel.

The session, initially set for 2:00 p.m., did not begin until 2:58 p.m., as the committee chairman waited for both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu.

However, Adaramodu eventually arrived at 2:50 pm.

Dailyeconomy had earlier reported that the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday received a petition from Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment during plenary.