The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday rejected a sexual harassment petition filed against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following a tense plenary session filled with procedural debates and conflicting arguments.
At the start of the session, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stood up to present the petition, reading it aloud before submitting it to Akpabio, who initially accepted it. However, the matter quickly became contentious when Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Munguno, challenged the validity of the petition based on procedural grounds.
Citing Order 40(4) of the Senate rules, Munguno warned that any deviation from established procedures could lead to “chaos and anarchy.” He argued that the petition was procedurally flawed since Senate rules prohibit a senator from personally signing and submitting their own petition. “Senator Natasha had signed her own petition, rendering it invalid,” Munguno asserted.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that her legal case was unrelated to sexual harassment but instead focused on defamatory remarks made about her dressing. She invoked Order 10, which allows any senator to rise and speak at any time, and maintained that her petition should be considered.
Former Senate Leader Abdullahi Adamu attempted to de-escalate tensions, suggesting that since Akpabio had already accepted the petition, it should be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct for review. However, this proposal further divided opinions, leading to a flurry of points of order and a brief commotion in the chamber.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele weighed in, reinforcing the argument that no senator can author and sign their own petition. He also highlighted that the matter was already before the courts, as Akpabio’s wife had initiated legal proceedings, making it sub judice and beyond the Senate’s jurisdiction.
“Mr. President, I sympathize with you as a man being accused of sexual harassment,” Bamidele said. “However, we must be guided by the Constitution and our Rule Book, not emotions. You accepted the petition based on emotion, but we must uphold due process.”
In his defense, Akpabio clarified that his decision to accept the petition was not out of disregard for Senate rules but rather to avoid any public perception that he was deliberately silencing Akpoti-Uduaghan because he was implicated in the matter.
“I took that petition because I didn’t want people who don’t understand our rules to think I was deliberately silencing her,” Akpabio explained.
Despite attempts to call for a closed-door session, Akpabio ruled that plenary should continue. In the end, the Senate upheld the argument of the Senate Leader and rejected the petition, bringing the contentious matter to a close—at least within the legislative chamber.