The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has thrown out a petition by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office, labeling it “dead on arrival.” The dismissal, announced on Wednesday, was based on procedural flaws and legal limitations.
During the session, Committee Chairman Senator Neda Imasuen pointed to Order 40 of the Senate Standing Orders, noting that Akpoti-Uduaghan had personally signed the petition instead of having it endorsed by another party, a breach that invalidated it. He further explained that the issues raised were already under judicial review, rendering them sub judice and outside the Senate’s authority. Akpabio, for his part, has firmly denied the harassment claims leveled by the Kogi senator.
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The tension between the two flared on February 20, 2025, when Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, refused her assigned seat in the Senate chamber and openly defied Akpabio’s directive. She later accused him of harassment and filed a ₦100 billion defamation lawsuit against him. Meanwhile, the Akpabio-led Senate referred her to its disciplinary committee for review. This wasn’t their first clash—back in July 2024, Akpabio issued an apology to Akpoti-Uduaghan after making a controversial nightclub remark about her.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Ethics Committee began investigating Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged noncompliance with Senate rules, but she failed to appear. After waiting an hour, Chairman Imasuen expressed frustration: “We waited, and regrettably, she isn’t here. I hope she’ll join us before we wrap this up.” He defended the committee’s actions, stating, “Every petition comes to us via the full Senate, and we’re empowered to handle them. This matter was raised on February 25 by Senate Spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu—nothing more, nothing less.”
Though Akpoti-Uduaghan was a no-show, Imasuen remained optimistic she’d eventually appear, confirming she had been duly notified of the hearing.
