By Hagxy Don
A storm of controversy engulfed the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday as tempers flared over the handling of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The chamber descended into chaos as lawmakers clashed over the petition’s admissibility, with legal technicalities and procedural rules taking center stage.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had invoked Order 10 of the Senate Rules, seeking to have her petition admitted and referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. Her request came in response to Akpabio’s earlier public denial of ever harassing any woman. However, the move was met with immediate resistance from Senator Mohammed Monguno, who cited Order 40, arguing that the Senate lacked jurisdiction over the matter since it was already before a court.
“Mr. Senate President, distinguished colleagues, you are aware that the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Unoma Ekaete Akpabio, and her family have taken Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to court following her allegations on Arise Television last week,” Monguno declared. “This means this chamber is legally barred from deliberating on the same issue.”
Senate Leader Michael Opeyemi Bamidele added another twist, arguing that the Senate had erred in even admitting the petition. He pointed out that Senate rules prohibit a senator from personally signing a petition against the Senate leadership, a responsibility that should rest with constituents. He, however, suggested that Akpabio may have allowed the petition to proceed to avoid appearing as though he was suppressing a fellow senator’s voice.
With tensions reaching a boiling point and the chamber veering towards outright disorder, Bamidele proposed that lawmakers move into a closed-door session to resolve the matter privately. The drama underscores the deepening divisions within the Senate and raises fresh questions about the balance between legislative ethics, legal jurisdiction, and political maneuvering at the highest levels of Nigeria’s government.