The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has denied the sexual harassment allegation levied against him by his colleague, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

 

Responding to the petition submitted against him (Akpabio) at the plenary session on Wednesday, the Senate President said, “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. I and my siblings were raised very well by my late single mother who died in year 2000.”


Monguno, Bamidele tackles Natasha’s petition

However, confusion arose when the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno North), raised Order 40 of the Senate Standing Orders, stating that the matter could not be entertained or referred to the Ethics Committee on the grounds that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio, were in court and the issue was sub judice. He further argued that, in line with the Order, the petition could not be taken because Senator Natasha signed it.

 

Also opposing the petition’s referral to the Ethics Committee was the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), who aligned with the Chief Whip’s position and advised that the Senators hold a closed-door session.

 

Senator Bamidele stopped at 12:31, but Akpabio ruled that the house would proceed with the business of the day due to visitors in the gallery witnessing the proceedings.

 

Recall that a heated confrontation erupted during the Senate plenary session last penultimate Thursday when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Tension rose as she arrived to find her seat reassigned and her nameplate removed.

 

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, raising her voice in protest, demanded an explanation for what she perceived as an unjustified move.