Senate Committee Dismisses Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Petition Against Senate President Akpabio
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has dismissed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment and abuse of office petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, deeming it “dead on arrival.”
The committee cited procedural violations and legal constraints as the main reasons for the dismissal. According to the Committee Chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition was invalid because she signed it herself instead of having it endorsed by another individual, which violated Senate procedures. Additionally, the matters raised were already before the courts and thus sub judice, placing them beyond the Senate’s jurisdiction.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, had previously rejected her assigned seat in the Senate and challenged Akpabio’s order. She accused the Senate President of harassment and filed a N100 billion defamation suit against him. In July 2024, Akpabio had apologized for his nightclub comment about her.
On March 5, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent from the Senate Committee’s probe into her alleged refusal to comply with Senate rules. Senator Imasuen expressed disappointment at her absence, emphasizing the committee’s authority to deliberate on petitions referred by the Senate.
