By Nathaniel Zaccheaus, Abuja
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions, Neda Imasuen, made the pronouncement at a public hearing raised for the purpose of investigating alleged misconduct against Natasha.
Imasuen also dismissed the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Senate from subjecting Natasha to any disciplinary measures.
According to him, since Senator Natasha had filed a sexual harassment case in court against Akpabio, the committee cannot entertain her petition on the same subject.
Imasuen added that by rule, the Senate and its committees do not entertain petitions that are already before any court.
Imasuen cited the principles of separation of powers for rejecting the court order restraining the Senate from taking disciplinary measures against the female senator.
The Committee shunned the Court order and sat on the matter after plenary yesterday.
The panel listened to presentation by the Senate Spokesperson, Adeyemi Adaramodu, who moved the motion on the floor which led to the Senate resolution to probe Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged misconduct through the Ethics Panel.
Adaramodu lamented that the actions of Akpoti-Uduaghan through the interviews she had granted to the media had negativity affected the image of the Senate.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Titus Zam, also made a presentation before the panel.
He debunked claims that Akpabio was deliberately fraudstrating Akpoti-Uduaghan’s motions and bills because of her alleged refusal to accept the Senate President’s sexual advances.
He explained that all her bills and motions followed due process.
Similarly, the Head of the Serjeant-At-Arms in the Chamber, Mr. Muktar Usman Daudawa, also made a presentation before the panel.
Daudawa explained that the issue of seat realocation was a normal routine in the chamber and that Akpoti-Uduaghan was not the only senator affected.
The Chairman of the Committee said the Kogi Central Senator did not probably honour the panel’s invitation because she was obviously obeying her lawyers’ legal advice.
He said the judiciary, a different arm of government cannot interfere in the affairs of the legislature, hence the court order obtained by Akpoti-Uduaghan was not binding on the committee.
He also declared that the Kogi Central Senator’s petition, referred to it by the Senate President was dead on arrival.
Imasuen said, “In the plenary on the floor of the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan presented a petition before the Senate.
“There were a lot of objections to that petition because of the manner in which it came. But in the wisdom of the Senate President, it was still referred to us, to this committee.
“And for us to save time because we need to report back to the Senate tomorrow (today), I will address that petition. But I will go through our rules and our standing orders as amended. That petition, for what you read on the floor and for what I’ve seen, is making some allegations that are already in court.
“The matter is already in court. And it is the procedure of this committee. As a matter of fact, the first thing we ask when the petition comes before us is whether or not that petition is before any law court.
If the answer is yes, we do not touch such petitions. In addition to that, our Rule Book, also, under Order 40, has also laid down the processes that must be followed before a petition is laid. And if you will allow me, Order 40 of our Rule Book, Subsection 4, says that no Senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself.
“In other words, I cannot submit a petition about myself, signed by myself. That petition ought to be presented by another Senator. And I’m sure that there are three Senators from Kogi State, as it is with other states.
“The issue before us today is the issue of an alleged misconduct of one of our distinguished senators on the floor of the Senate.
“The petition she presented today is actually dead on arrival. I say that because it runs contrary to Order 40, Subsection 4, that no Senator should present to the Senate, a petition signed by him or herself. And that petition, having been signed by her, will not be entertained by this committee.
“She (Akpoti-Uduaghan is not here. Now I can understand why she’s not here. She’s probably not here on the order of her lawyers.
“That being the case, the committee will sit and we will deliberate on what we’ve gotten from distinguished senators that have presented their cases before us.
“We will use our rule books and all other documents that are available to us, to make a decision here and then make a referral to the full Senate”
There was however confusion yestersday when, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, asked the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to commence investigation into the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against him by the Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The development followed the presentation of a petition personally written by Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Senate at plenary which was monitored by a delegation of a United Kingdom Parliamentarian led by a woman. Kate Ofunne Osamor.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who arrived the National Assembly complex in company of her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, entered the chamber after they had kissed themselves.
Attempts by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele and the Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, to make Akpabio reverse his ruling failed.
Both Bamidele and Monguno had quoted the relevant rules of the Senate to convince Akpabio to rescind his decision on the matter because it was against the practice of the red chamber to allow petitions personally written and signed by a serving senator.
Akpabio noted their observations but said the ruling would not be reversed and even refuses allow the Senate dissolved into closed session because of the foreign and local visitors who were observing the proceeding.
Akpabio described Natasha’s sexual harassment allegation as spurious saying that he had highest regard for women.
He said, “On February 2025, there were some spurious allegations making the rounds in the social media and on television of a purported harassment by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“While I am aware that the matters are in court, however, I would like to state clearly that at no time did I ever attempt any sexual harassment.
“I have my siblings who were raised very well by my late single mother through very difficult times. She died in the year 2000. I therefore have the highest regards for women.
“I also wish to say that I have four beautiful daughters. At no time will I ever harass any woman.
“I never do so. In addition, even as a state governor, I was awarded various awards. One of them was “the most gender friendly governor” in Nigeria.
“I served between 2007 and 2015. In conclusion, I urge all Nigerians, particularly the media and members of the social media, to await the court’s decision. Please do not jump to conclusions on this allegation.”
The Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Cyril Fasuyi, vowed to come up with a petition against Akpoti-Uduaghan who allegedly claimed that former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, had sold the Ajaokuta Steel Firm when he was a Minister.
Early yesterday, an Abuja Federal High Court yesterday restrained the Senate Committee on Code of Conduct and Public Petitions from probing the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over incident of disorder over reallocation of seats in the chamber.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who granted the iinterim injunction among others, ordered the National Assembly, Senate and the Senate Committee on Ethics to suspend the hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
The defendants, including the Clerk to the National Assembly, Clerk of the Senate and the Committee on Ethics, are to show cause within 72 hours why an interlocutory injunction to stop the hearing should not be granted.
The Court action was sequel to the decision the Senate through its Ethics Committee to probe the allegations of misconduct against Akpoti-Uduaghan, during plenary last week.
