6th March,2025
News desk
The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday dismissed a sexual harassment petition filed against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following a heated plenary session marked by procedural disputes and opposing arguments.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan presented the petition at the start of the session, reading it aloud before submitting it to Akpabio, who initially accepted it. However, tensions rose when Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Munguno, challenged the validity of the petition, citing procedural irregularities.
Referring to Order 40(4) of the Senate rules, Munguno argued that a senator cannot personally sign and submit their own petition, declaring Akpoti-Uduaghan’s submission invalid. “Any deviation from established procedures could lead to chaos and anarchy,” he warned.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan clarified that her petition was not about sexual harassment but rather defamatory comments regarding her dressing. She invoked Order 10, which allows senators to speak at any time, insisting that her case should be considered.
Efforts to resolve the impasse led to further divisions. Former Senate Leader Abdullahi Adamu suggested referring the petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, but the proposal sparked more debate.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele reinforced the argument against the petition’s acceptance, citing its procedural flaws and the fact that the matter was already before the courts, making it sub judice.
“Mr. President, I sympathize with you as a man being accused of sexual harassment,” Bamidele said. “However, we must be guided by the Constitution and our Rule Book, not emotions.”
Defending his initial acceptance of the petition, Akpabio explained that he did so to avoid public perception that he was suppressing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s voice. “I didn’t want people who don’t understand our rules to think I was deliberately silencing her,” he stated.
Despite attempts to move the session behind closed doors, plenary continued, and the Senate ultimately upheld Bamidele’s argument, rejecting the petition and bringing the contentious debate to an end within the chamber.
