In Nigeria, a major disagreement happened in the Senate, where important leaders make laws. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of inappropriate behaviour. She claimed that he made her uncomfortable and submitted a formal complaint, called a petition, to the Senate.
However, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which checks if complaints follow the rules, rejected Natasha’s petition. They said she made a mistake because, according to the Senate’s rules, a senator is not allowed to sign and submit their complaint—someone else has to sign it for them. Since Natasha signed hers, they said it was “dead on arrival,” meaning it was invalid from the start.
The committee also said that the issues Natasha raised were already being handled in court. Since the case was still in court, the Senate was not allowed to discuss it. A high court in Abuja had even given an order stopping the Senate from investigating the matter further.
Other senators, including Yemi Adaramodu and Titus Zam, spoke against Natasha’s complaint. In the end, the committee decided not to take any action on the petition. This means that Senator Natasha’s complaint was rejected, and the Senate will not be investigating Senate President Akpabio over her claims.
What Led to the Petition?
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office. She claimed that on December 8, 2023, during a visit to Akpabio’s home in Akwa Ibom, he made inappropriate comments suggesting they spend “quality moments” together, even though her husband was present.
In May 2024, she alleged that Akpabio invited her to his private residence in Abuja, saying they needed to discuss legislative matters. However, during their meeting, he allegedly implied that he would grant her political favours in exchange for making him happy.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said that after she refused his advances, she faced professional setbacks. Her motion on the Ajaokuta Steel Company was removed from the Senate’s agenda, and she was also removed as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content. She also pointed out an incident where Akpabio allegedly called her a “night club girl” on the Senate floor, which she saw as part of a pattern of intimidation.
Because of these incidents, she decided to submit a formal petition to the Senate, accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment, abuse of office, and obstructing her work as a senator. However, with the Senate rejecting her petition, it is unclear what the next steps in this dispute will be.
