The Senate has referred the alleged sexual harassment petition filed by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP) against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had during Wednesday’s plenary, stood up and stated that she had a petition, read it out aloud, and submitted it.
The petition read: “I have a petition against the President of the Nigerian Senate. His Excellency Sen. Godswill Akpabio for sexual harassment, abuse of office and malicious obstruction of my legislative functions.
“You may recall, sir, that on Friday, on Arise TV, I did make some statements. And I have decided to narrow the statements in a formal petition against the President of this Senate.
“So if it may please you, so if it pleases you, I will humbly step forward and lay this petition”.
However, a heated session ensued when Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Mohammed Monguno, citing Order 40(4), argued that Senate rules must be strictly adhered to.
Order 40 (4) reads: “No senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by himself”.
He warned that any deviation to these rules could lead to “chaos and anarchy” as such the Senate would protect the sacred provisions of the rules.
Mr Monguno further noted that the matter was sub judiced. “The petitioner, Sen. Natasha, has gone to court in respect of this matter.
“The wife of the Senate President has equally gone to court in respect of this matter. So, this matter is sub judiced. And therefore, the Senate does not have to do anything to entertain this matter,” he said.
He advised that the matter should be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, rejected Monguno’s argument.
She said that the ongoing court case was a N100 billion defamation lawsuit she filed against Patrick Mfon, a special assistant to the Senate President on social media and not against Akpabio.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that her sexual harassment claims were not the subject of any legal action, contradicting the basis for rejecting her petition.
“This matter is not in court. The matter before the court is on defamation and cyber bullying statements by the senate president’s special assistant on social media, Patrick Mfon, who accused me of dressing indecently to the senate.
“Mr President, your denial and refusal to accept and treat my petition before the committee on Ethics, this matter is not sub judiced; it’s not before the court,” she said.
On his part, the Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele also corroborated Sen. Monguno’s position.
He said: “Order 40(4) says no senator bringing a petition shall be the author.
“Mr president, I sympathise with you as a man being accused of sexual harassment.
“I won’t comment on that because there will be an ample opportunity for the relevant committee to deal with that.
“It is important that the public should know and our observers should note that as political as this can be, we cannot be emotional about it.
“We are guided by rules and the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended,” Bamidele said.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio said “the Senate actually referred her matter not because I’m not aware of the provisions of the rules.
“It is because when people are watching from outside, they may not know we are guided by rules”.
