JUST-IN: Natasha Akpoti submits ‘sexual harassment’ petition against Akpabio

• She previously clashed with Akpabio on February 20 over seat arrangements and was referred to the disciplinary committee.
• On February 25, she filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against the senate president.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, has submitted a complaint of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a session in the upper legislative house.

Referring to order 40 of the senate rules, Akpoti-Uduaghan mentioned that she had spoken on Arise TV regarding alleged sexual harassment by Akpabio and had now decided to present it officially.

Akpabio permitted the senator to go ahead with submitting the complaint, and she proceeded accordingly.

Nevertheless, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, the senate’s chief whip, opposed the petition’s submission. He contended that the senate was unable to consider Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaint due to an ongoing court case.

Citing order 40, rule 7, he asserted that “senate should not receive or deliberate on any matter to which actions are pending in the court of law.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed Monguno’s argument, insisting that he had misrepresented the actual course of events.

“This matter is not in court. The matter in court is a defamation against the senate president’s special assistant on social media, Patrick Mfon, who accused me of dressing indecently to the senate,” the Kogi lawmaker said.

Opeyemi Bamidele, the leader of the senate, also expressed opposition to the petition’s submission.

“We cannot relax our rules. This petition cannot stand. It is in court. It is defective. There is no way we can accept this petition,” Bamidele hollered.

Following this, the senate leader suggested that the chamber should enter a closed-door session.

A brief period of disorder followed before order was eventually restored.

Subsequently, the senate resumed its scheduled activities, while Akpoti-Uduaghan chose to exit the chamber in protest.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had a confrontation with Akpabio on February 20 concerning seat allocation, which resulted in her referral to the senate’s disciplinary committee for further examination.

On February 25, she initiated a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against the senate president.