The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions dismissed a sexual harassment petition filed by Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Committee, stated this on Wednesday during a probe hearing against Akpoti-Uduaghan at the National Assembly.
The Edo South senator declared the petition “dead on arrival,” alleging a violation of Senate Standing Order 40.
According to Imasuen, Akpoti-Uduaghan signed the petition herself rather than having it endorsed by someone else, making it procedurally invalid.
The Edo legislator stated that the points highlighted in the petition were already in court, rendering them sub judice.
“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,” he said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan did not attend the committee’s planned session, which began at 2 p.m.
The chairman arrived at 2:58 p.m. after waiting for both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu.
Adaramodu arrived at 2:50 pm, but Akpoti-Uduaghan did not attend the hearing.
On Wednesday, the Nigerian Senate received a petition accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment. Akpabio denied the allegations during the plenary and dismissed them as baseless.
“At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria,” Akpabio stated.
