Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has once again resubmitted a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary.
This time, she presented the petition on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu.
Following the submission, Senate President Akpabio questioned whether there were any legal obstacles to accepting the petition. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan responded that there were none. At 12:38 PM, Akpabio directed her to formally lay the petition before the Senate.
The petition was then referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), with instructions to report back to the plenary within four weeks after legislative review.
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This move comes after a similar petition was presented by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan the previous day, which led to controversy. The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North), had raised a point of order based on Senate Standing Order 40.
He argued that the matter was sub judice due to an ongoing court case involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President. Monguno also contended that the petition could not be considered because Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had personally signed it.
As a result, the Senate Ethics Committee had dismissed the petition, ruling it “dead on arrival.”
This latest petition intensifies the ongoing tensions between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio.
Recall that last Thursday, tensions flared in the Senate chamber when Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio. She arrived at the session to find her nameplate removed and her seat reassigned, prompting her to demand an explanation for what she perceived as an unjustified move.
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