Natasha’s sexual harassment petition dead on arrival – Senate

The Senate has declared that the sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduagha against Senate President Godswill Akpabio is “dead on arrival.”

This was disclosed by Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, while concluding the hearing on the matter.

Imasuen explained that the petition was inadmissible on two major grounds: first, it contravened Senate rules as it was signed by Akpoti-Uduaghan herself, and second, the allegations contained in the petition were already before a Court.

“That petition, for what you read on the floor and for what I’ve seen, is making some allegations that are already in court,” Imasuen stated. “And it is the procedure of this committee that when a petition is before any law court, we do not touch such petitions”, he added.

He further cited Order 40, Subsection 4, which prohibits senators from presenting petitions signed by themselves.

He said, “No Senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself. That petition ought to have been presented by another Senator.

“That was not done, which is a direct contravention of our Rule Book.”

The Committee Chair added that he had received legal documents from M.J. Numa and Partners, warning the Senate against intervening in the matter.

“They have presented to me a motion and a rule order from the court attempting to stop this committee from doing its work. This is unacceptable,” Imasuen said.

He added, “We should actually let the world know that there is what they call separation of powers in our Constitution.”

He concluded that, based on these violations, the petition would not be entertained. “The petition she presented today is actually dead on arrival,” he declared.

Similarly, Adeniyi Adegbonmire backed the Committee’s position, arguing that Akpoti-Uduaghan had flouted Senate rules.

He accused some media outlets of distorting the issue, emphasising that the matter arose from a disruption during plenary.

He explained, “The incidents that have brought us here this afternoon happened during Senate plenary.

“During Senate plenary, senators have liberty to debate, to speak, to voice their opinions, and there is immunity. That is why what we say on the floor of the Senate, no outsider can come and say, I sue you.”

He stressed that the Senate had rules for decorum and that Akpoti-Uduaghan had violated them by sitting in an unassigned seat before raising her petition.

“Today, she sat in her allocated seat because she recognized that she could not raise a point of order unless she did. That for me shows an admission that what she did before was wrong”, he noted.

Adegbonmire warned against breaching Senate procedures, stating, “We will listen to you provided you follow the rules. It would be wrong for us to allow the procedure and regulations of the Senate to be violated.”

The controversy began at the Wednesday plenary when Akpoti-Uduaghan submitted her petition against Akpabio at the start of plenary.

Reading the petition aloud, she accused the Senate President of “sexual harassment, abuse of office, and obstruction of my legislative functions.”

However, Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, opposed the submission, citing Order 40(4), which stipulates that no Senator may present a petition they authored.

Read also: Natasha Akpoti absent as Senate panel begins hearing on misconduct case

“Any deviation from these rules could lead to chaos and anarchy. The Senate must protect the sacred provisions of its rules,” Monguno cautioned.

He further argued that the matter was sub judice since both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio’s wife had pending court cases related to the issue.

“The petitioner, Senator Natasha, has gone to court in respect of this matter. And also, the wife of the Senate President has equally gone to court in respect of this matter. So, this matter is sub judice”, he said.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, rejected this claim, clarifying that the only case in court was her N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio’s special assistant, Patrick Mfon, over alleged cyberbullying.

“This matter is not before the court,” she insisted. “The case in court is about defamation and cyberbullying, not sexual harassment”, he said.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, also upheld Monguno’s position, sympathising with Akpabio over the accusations but maintaining that Senate rules must be upheld.

“Order 40(4) says no senator bringing a petition shall be the author,” he reiterated. “We cannot be emotional about it; we are guided by rules and the 1999 Constitution”, Bamidele noted.

Senate President Akpabio defended his decision to refer the petition to the Ethics Committee despite being aware of its procedural flaws. “The Senate actually referred her matter not because I’m not aware of the provisions of the rules,” Akpabio said.

“It is because when people are watching from outside, they may not know we are guided by rules.”

Earlier, Akpabio had earlier broken the silence over the allegation of sexual harassment on him by Senator Natasha Akpoti

Akpabio, while clearing the air on Wednesday at the commencement of the plenary, stated that he never harassed Senator Natasha Akpoti or any other female.

He said, “ Since the 20th of February, I have been inundated with phone calls from various Nigerians.

“I would like to state that at no time did I sexually harassed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

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

“Even after her demise, I still cry till today. I also wish to state that I have four beautiful daughters.

“So at no time have I or will I ever harass any woman, and I have never done so. In addition, even as a state governor, I was awarded various awards. One of them was the one you wish to know, the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria.”

He added, “I served between 2007 and 2015. To God be the glory. In conclusion, I urge all Nigerians, particularly the media and then, of course, the members of the social media to await the court’s decision and please do not jump to conclusions on matters of mere allegations.

“I want to thank you for listening to me. I thank my colleagues because some of the phone calls were calls of support, solidarity, and prayer that the Almighty God will step in to vindicate the just.”

At the Ethics Committee hearing, Akpoti-Uduaghan was notably absent.

Mukthar Usman, the Senate Maze bearer, provided details on the seating dispute that led to the clash in plenary.

Usman explained that the reassignment of seats was necessary following the defection of two minority senators to the majority side.

“The leadership of the Senate directed that some adjustments be made on the minority side,” he said. “Seats were reassigned in line with the tradition of ranking, but Senator Natasha refused to move to her new seat.”

Yemi Adaramodu, who initially raised the issue on the hearing, lamented that the controversy had damaged the Senate’s reputation. “As the image maker of the Senate, I have received a lot of calls both locally and internationally, even from my family members,” he stated.

He maintained that Senator Natasha Akpoti’s defiance had disrupted Senate proceedings, prompting intervention from colleagues.

“That day, our colleague was not in order, so she couldn’t express any order. Tension rose, and senators started appealing to her to obey the process.”

Similarly, Titus Zam, 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 accept the Senate President’s sexual advances.

He explained that all her bills and motions followed due process, citing several dates her bills were taken.

He also noted that “Akpoti-Uduaghan had sponsored three bills, out of which one was at committee stage and the remaining two had passed first reading.

“Also, she moved a motion on Kogi monarch.”