The Senator representing Kogi Central at the upper legislative chamber, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Wednesday submitted a petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over alleged sexual harassment and abuse of office.
Speaking under Order 40 of the Senate Rules during plenary, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said her decision followed allegations she made against Mr Akpabio in a recent interview on Arise TV.
“The petition is in my name against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for sexual harassment, abuse of office and malicious obstruction of my legislative functions,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said.
The lawmaker said following her statement during the interview, she decided to narrow the allegations in a formal petition against Mr Akpabio.
In response, Mr Akpabio acknowledged the receipt of the petition and immediately referred it to the Senate committee on code of conduct, ethics and public petition.
The senate president further denied the accusation against him, insisting that he had never harassed any woman in his life.
“I will like to state clearly that at no time did I ever attempt any sexual harassment on the said Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan or any other woman for that matter. My siblings and I were raised very well by my late single mother who died in 2000,” Akpabio said.
The Senate had earlier said it could not probe Mrs Natasha’s allegation against Mr Akpabio for lack of a petition.
On Monday, the Chairman of the Senate committee on media and publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, noted that there was no petition against the senate president regarding Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusation.
According to him, the Senate does not conduct its affairs based on what was trending on social media unless there was a formal petition, asking Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan to submit one for investigation into the development.
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