Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has resubmitted a sexual harassment petition against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Natasha, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, resubmitted the petition during Thursday plenary, after her earlier petition was rejected by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.
Speaking during the presentation, Natasha said the newly submitted petition was filed by her constituents, led by one Zubairu Yakubu.
Following the presentation, Akpabio inquired whether there were any legal impediments to accepting the petition and she responded that there were none.
The Senate President thereafter instructed her to formally lay the petition before the Senate and was subsequently referred to the Ethics committee led by Senator Neda Imasuen, with a directive to report back to the plenary within four weeks after legislative review.
Natasha had earlier presented a petition of sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio during Wednesday plenary, which sparked controversy.
The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North), had raised a point of order, citing Senate Standing Order 40.
Monguno had argued that the matter could not be entertained or referred to the Ethics Committee on the grounds that it was sub judice due to an ongoing court case involving Natasha and Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President.
Monguno further argued that the petition could not be considered since Natasha had personally signed it.
The development prompted the Senate Ethics Committee to dismiss the petition, saying that the petition was “dead on arrival.”
