Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Thursday, submitted another sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, during plenary.
The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District while addressing the Senate disclosed that after the newly submitted petition was filed by her constituents after her previous petition was trashed by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.
The committee had described her initial petition as “dead on arrival.”
While submitting the new petition, Senate President Akpabio question if there were any legal impediments to accepting the petition and Natasha responded that there were none.
Natasha thereafter laid the foundation before the Senate, following Akpabio’s instruction. The petition was afterwards directed to the Ethics committee head by Neda Imasuen, who noted that the plenary will get feedback within four weeks after legislative review.
However, the Ethics Committee of the Senate has suspend the Senator for six months. The suspension, according to the Committee, Natasha’s suspension was because of her failure to submit herself to the legislative Committee for the review of her conduct.
The Senate recommends that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs be suspended for six months following the issue surrounding her sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio.
The committee also urged Natasha to apologise to the Senate for “disrespecting the institution.”
Other recommendation by the senate include immediate surrender of all Senate properties in her possession, a directive barring her from the legislative chamber throughout the suspension period.
However, Senator Neda Imasuen and Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro had pleaded that that the proposed suspension of Natasha be reduced to six months.
Speaking during plenary on Thursday, Moro stated that Senator Natasha had acted against the Senate rules but urged fellow lawmakers to temper justice with mercy.
By Damilola Olufemi
