The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Wednesday formally submitted a petition against Senate Pesident Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of sexual harassment, abuse of office and malicious obstruction of her legislative functions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who raised the petition under Order 40 of the Senate Rules, told her colleagues that she had previously made the allegations during an interview on Arise TV but have now decided to “narrow these statements in a formal petition against the president of the Senate.”
After submitting the petition, the president of the Senate, Akpabio, immediately referred same to the Senate Committee on Code of Conduct, Ethics and Public Petitions to refer to the Senate as soon as practicable.
Earlier during plenary, Akpabio dismissed the allegations, insisting that he had never harassed any woman.
“At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria,” he said.
The Senate President, who acknowledged receiving multiple calls over the matter since February 25, said he was aware of the heated debates on social media.
He, however, urged Nigerians to refrain from making assumptions and allow the legal process to take its course.
