The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has dismissed a petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over allegations of sexual harassment.
Tribune Online reports that Natasha submitted the petition on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, following comments she had made on Arise TV regarding the allegations.
Akpabio permitted Natasha to proceed with the submission, directing that the petition be referred to the Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics, and Public Petitions.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen, announced the decision on Wednesday during a probe hearing at the National Assembly, declaring the petition “dead on arrival” due to a breach of Senate Standing Order 40.
Imasuen explained that Akpoti-Uduaghan had personally signed the petition instead of having it endorsed by another individual, making it procedurally invalid.
He also noted that the issues raised in the petition were already in court and thus subjudice.
“The petition that she (Natasha) presented today is actually dead on arrival. I said that because it runs contrary to Order 40, Subsection 4, that no senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself. And that petition, being signed by her, will not be entertained by this committee,” he said.
Despite being scheduled to appear before the probe panel, Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent from the hearing.
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The session, set for 2 pm, did not begin until 2:58 pm, following a delay as the committee waited for both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu. While Adaramodu arrived at 2:50 pm, the Kogi senator failed to show up.
Akpabio had earlier dismissed the allegations, asserting that he was properly raised by his late mother.
According to him, he had never harassed any woman at any point in his life and was recognised as Nigeria’s most gender-friendly governor due to his respect for women.
He said, “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.”
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