The Nigerian Senate has been thrust into a storm of controversy as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, formally submitted a petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan presented the petition during Wednesday’s plenary session, invoking Senate Rule 40 to officially bring the matter before her colleagues. She stated that her decision to file the complaint followed her earlier revelations on Arise TV, where she alleged that Akpabio had harassed her.
The tension between the two senators initially arose over a dispute concerning seating arrangements in the Senate but has since escalated into a full-blown scandal. Akpoti-Uduaghan claims that Akpabio, angered by her rejection of his alleged advances, deliberately blocked her legislative motions from being heard on the Senate floor.
Her husband, Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, has reportedly intervened in the matter, lending weight to her allegations and adding to the mounting pressure on the Senate President.
However, the Senate’s leadership has downplayed the accusations. Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs (APC, Ekiti South), dismissed the claims, stating that no formal petition had been received before Wednesday’s session. He described the controversy as “a storm in a teacup,” insisting that the Senate adheres strictly to parliamentary procedures and does not act based on social media narratives.
“The Senate does not conduct its affairs based on trending news. A formal petition or a matter raised on the Senate floor is required before any investigation can take place,” Adaramodu asserted during an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show.
Regarding the seating arrangement dispute, he reiterated that Senate rules empower the Senate President to assign seats, emphasizing that any attempt to challenge such authority disrupts order within the chamber.
Meanwhile, former Senate President Bukola Saraki has called for an independent probe into the allegations, urging Akpabio to submit to an open investigation. Yet, Adaramodu swiftly dismissed such calls, arguing that no credible evidence of misconduct has been officially presented before the Senate.
As the scandal unfolds, political analysts are watching closely to see whether the Senate will take decisive action or whether this will become yet another high-profile controversy swept under the legislative carpet.
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