The petition in the case of sexual harassment and abuse of office submitted to the Senate by Senator Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan against Godswill Akpabio has been dismissed by the Senate.
The dismissal was communicated by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Relations, Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), on Wednesday, the 5th of March 2025, with claims that it was โdead on arrival,โ citing a breach of Order 40 of the Senate Standing Orders.
Senator Imasuen clarified that the petition was expected to be endorsed by a third party and not the petitioner (Natasha). He maintained that Natasha’s decision to have the petition self-endorsed has rendered it procedurally invalid.
Senator Imasuen also mentioned that the petition brought before the Senate has also been discussed in court, making it sub judice.
It is imperative to state that Natasha started on the wrong foot with regard to the plenary, owing to her inability to keep up with the committeeโs scheduled sitting. The probe panel session commenced at 2:58 PM upon the arrival of the chairman after waiting for Senator Natasha and Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), as opposed to the 2:00 PM scheduled time. Adaramodu was said to have arrived at 2:50 PM, while Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent when the session began.
Senator Natasha however arrived at the Senate at a later time to join the proceedings and thereafter presented her petition.
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