THE Nigerian Senate, on Thursday, March 6, handed down a six-month suspension, with immediate effect, on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over her allegation of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan had about two weeks ago made the accusation, following a dispute with Akpabio over the new sitting arrangement in the chamber.
Indeed, she had arrived at the session to find her nameplate removed and her seat reassigned, prompting her to demand an explanation for what she viewed as an unjustified, unfavourable and unfair action.
Akpabio, while reading out recommendations of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, which probed the claims of sexual harassment, stated: “That the Senate do suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for her total violation of the Senate Standing Rules (2023, as amended) for bringing the presiding officer and the entire Nigerian Senate to public opprobrium.”
Efforts by some senators to have the period of suspension reduced to three months failed, as the Red Chamber, in a majority vote, sustained the initial six months suspension.
The lawmakers, however, added with a proviso that the suspension could be lifted or reduced if she tenders a written apology, saying: “For the Senate to consider lifting this suspension or reducing the tenure of the suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan shall submit a written apology to the Senate before her reconsideration by the Nigerian Senate.”
The Senate also dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims that Akpabio had been silencing her voice in the Chamber, describing the allegations as frivolous.
Subsequently, the senator representing Kogi Central was escorted out of the Chamber by the Sergeant-At-Arms, but she declared: “That injustice would not be sustained.”
Suspension of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker followed the recommendation of the committee, which found her guilty verdict on for violating the Senate’s rules, after its investigation, and seeming brings to an end, at least in the Chamber, claims and denials among her, Akpabio and the Senate, which .started on February 20, this year.
She had submitted a petition on the floor of the senate on Wednesday, but the Senate Committee on Public Conduct, Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun (Labour Party, Edo South) dismissed her claims, declaring that it was “dead on arrival” due to what it described as a breach of due process and legal limitations.
Specifically, the committee said the senator personally signed the petition, instead of getting someone else’s endorsement, thereby rendering it “invalid.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan re-submitted the petition the following day, the same day the committee recommended her suspension for six-months, locking of her office, stoppage from entering the National Assembly during the period and stoppage of her salary and those of her legislative aides.
In addition to a six-month suspension from all legislative activities, effective March 6, 2025, she was directed to immediately surrender of all Senate properties in her possession.
