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BREAKING: Senate throws out Natasha’s petition *Says, its dead-on arrival!
Even before the ink with which the papers were signed is yet to dry, the Senate, on Wednesday, flung out the petition presented to it by Natasha Akpoti-Udughan on the grounds of procedure, ending what could have been a new chapter in the sex-for favour allegations against Godswill Akpabio, Senate President.
Neda Imasuen, Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Relations, announced this on Wednesday, hours after the Senate got the petition from Akpoti-Uduaghan before the Senate earlier in the day, after obtaining the permission of the Senate President.
Recall that Imasuen, Labour Party (LP) Senator representing Edo South, had tried to pour cold water on the allegation of sexual harassment, where his Kogi Central colleague gave a graphic account on the alleged attempt by Akpabio to bed her, spoke, while appearing on The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on ARISE NEWS.
Pushing back against the allegations of sexual misconduct against Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, he had alluded to the usual penchant for members to mix their official duties with a lot of interpersonal, lighthearted conviviality, saying it might have been misunderstood.
His words: “We have four female senators in this assembly, and I am close to three of them. It is a matter of privilege, and I don’t think it is directed at any individual because of sex.
“We joke a lot in the Senate. If you sit in the Senate for four or five months or even a year, you will understand. We see each other every day. If familiarity is what is being considered as some sort of harassment, then I don’t know. But for me, I don’t think that the conduct of the senate president is such that is against the female.”
Regardless, the Edo Senator, who confirmed that his committee had actually brought forward its sitting on the disciplinary matter now facing the Kogi Senator, assured that Akpoti-Uduaghan would get fair hearing from during the sitting on her matter.
But hours after, he told the members of the committee and petitioners, while commenting on the petition of the female Senator from Kogi: “The petition she presented today, is actually dead on arrival. I say that because it runs contrary to Order 40, subsection 4 that no Senator should present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself. That petition signed by her will not be entertained by this committee.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, she’s not here and I can understand why she is not here – she’s probably not here on the orders of her lawyers. That being the case, the committee will sit and will deliberate on what we’ve gotten by distinguished Senators that have presented their cases before us and the Sergeant at Arms and based on our Rule Books and all other documents available to us to make a decision here and make a referral to the full Senate.”
Earlier on Wednesday, after the presentation of the petition, commotion had ensued as the matter took a different twist when Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Munguno, contested the validity of the petition based on procedural grounds.
Citing Order 40(4) of the Senate rules, Munguno asserted that any contravention of established procedures is a recipe for “chaos and anarchy.” He argued that the petition was procedurally flawed since Senate rules prohibit a senator from personally signing and submitting their own petition. “Senator Natasha had signed her own petition, rendering it invalid,” Munguno declared.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that her legal case has nothing to do with sexual harassment but instead focused on derogatory and defamatory remarks made about her dressing. She invoked Order 10, which allows any senator to rise and speak at any time, and maintained that her petition should be considered.
Former Senate Leader, Abdullahi Adamu, who stepped in to calm frayed nerves and douse tensions, suggested that since Akpabio had already accepted the petition, it should be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct for review.
However, his suggestion further escalated ruckus, leading to a flurry of points of order and a brief commotion in the chamber.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele lent credence to those pushing for the rejection of the petition, insisting that no senator can author and sign their own petition. He also pointed out that the matter was already before the courts, as Akpabio’s wife had initiated legal proceedings, making it sub judice and beyond the Senate’s jurisdiction.
“Mr. President, I sympathize with you as a man being accused of sexual harassment,” Bamidele said. “However, we must be guided by the Constitution and our Rule Book, not emotions. You accepted the petition based on emotion, but we must uphold due process.”
In his defense, Akpabio clarified that his decision to accept the petition was not because he was oblivious to the for Senate rules but rather to avoid any public perception that he was deliberately silencing Akpoti-Uduaghan because he was implicated in the matter.
“I took that petition because I didn’t want people who don’t understand our rules to think I was deliberately silencing her,” Akpabio explained.
Despite attempts to call for a closed-door session, Akpabio ruled that plenary should continue. In the end, the Senate upheld the argument of the Senate Leader and rejected the petition, putting the controversial matter to bed in the legislative chamber.
“It demonstrates, in the clearest possible terms, that when citizens act with unity, clarity of purpose, and resolve, they can indeed move mountains.”
These were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), reacted to Tuesday’s agreement of the 10th Senate to reverse the controversial provisions in the Electoral Amendment Bill, in which they earlier retained the discretionary provision of transmission of results of election electronically by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the coalition party, attributing the U-turn to the resilience of Nigerians, described the development as a victory for democracy and people-powered civic action.
Abdullahi, a former Minister, who called on Nigerians to stay alert and continue mounting pressure on relevant authorities until the amended bill secures presidential assent, is duly gazetted, and takes full legal effect, urged Nigerians to maintain eternal vigilance.
Following a groundswell of outrage across the country, regarding its initial decision to retain the 2022 provision and subsequent protests, which saw Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 and Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor Rivers State, teaming up with a group of Nigerians on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, the Senate eventually bowed to pressure mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit elections to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), real time, but with a proviso to use manual collation only as a contingency in cases of technological failure.
Hailing the development, ADC stated that the recant by the lawmakers was beyond a simple legislative reversal, but a reflection of the resilience, alertness, and growing political awareness of Nigerians from all segments of society.
The statement, added: “The decision of the 10th Senate to urgently reverse the contentious provisions of the Electoral Amendment Bill that it passed is a significant victory for the Nigerian people.
“This outcome is not merely a legislative U-turn. It is a testament to the resilience, vigilance, and rising political consciousness of Nigerians across all walks of life. From street protests to digital campaigns, the Nigerian people have once again shown that sovereignty truly belongs to them.
“In the face of the ruling APC’s habitual disregard for due process and democratic values, the Nigerian people have reaffirmed their place as the ultimate custodians of our democracy.
“In this regard, the African Democratic Congress salutes the courage and tenacity of Nigerians. We commend every citizen who raised their voice, whether online or offline, to resist legislative mischief that threatened to undermine our electoral integrity.”
Calling on Nigerians to remain steadfast, stressing that the development represents only a step in the right direction, not the final victory, the party, added: “We must now ensure that this momentum is sustained until the amended bill is not only passed but duly assented to by the President, properly gazetted, and becomes an enforceable law of the Federal Republic.
“We must remain vigilant to ensure there are no last-minute betrayals or technical ambiguities, the kind that often lead to ‘stories that touch.’ Let this be a reminder that democracy does not thrive in silence or indifference. It demands participation, persistence, and sometimes, peaceful defiance.”
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu has once again intervened to stem the political schism between the Rivers State House of Assembly and Siminalayi Fubara, the governor that would have led to the latter’s impeachment.
But the Minister, left a caveat – this is the last time the President would be making such an intervention – as he added that both sides would now have to work according to the terms agreed at the parley.
In the latest faceoff which started early in the year, 27 members of the assembly said to be loyal to Wike, had launched a fresh impeachment move against the governor – the third since he took office in 2023, accusing him of sundry infractions of the constitution including spending money without appropriation.
Fubara, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), last year, was believed to have run to the President for succour, whose intervention is believed to have halted the move.
Giving details of the rapprochement, Wike told reporters in Abuja, on Tuesday that the President playing a fatherly role stepped in to resolve disputes between the two parties.
His words: “He is very kind to the people of the state. If there seems to be any problem between the legislature and the governor, as a father, he really has to intervene.
“This is the second time Mr President is intervening and I believe by the grace of God that this will be the last time Mr President will intervene.”
Wike, who has since been linked to the crises from the outset and in firm grips of the lawmakers, also pointed out his own role in the matter, saying: “I have told them to obey Mr President and I know that they would not hesitate.”
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday finally sent the name of Usman Isa Dakingari, former Governor of Kebbi State to the Senate for confirmation as as a non-career ambassador after last month’s embarrassing mix-up in which his name suddenly appeared for posting to Turkey without legislative clearance.
Tinubu, in a correspondence conveying the appointment, which was read by Godswill Akpabio, said: “I write for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Usman Isa Dakingari as non-career ambassador,.
“Whilst I hope that the senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously, please accept, distinguished senate president, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
After reading the letter at plenary, the Senate President, said the matter would be referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration and report back to the Committee of Whole within one week.
Electoral Act: Don’t go to sleep, maintain eternal vigilance, ADC tells Nigerians
This is the last time Tinubu will intervene in Rivers’ row – Wike
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