It was a national embarrassment at the Senate on Wednesday as a delegation of the United Kingdom witnessed yet another episode of the sexual harassmen
It was a national embarrassment at the Senate on Wednesday as a delegation of the United Kingdom witnessed yet another episode of the sexual harassment drama between the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The UK parliamentarians who are in Nigeria on official visit, were the Senate to observe proceedings of the upper legislative chamber when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stormed the chamber with a petition in hand.
Akpabio, apparently overwhelmed by the presence of the British parliamentarians at the gallery, accepted Natasha’s petition, detailing allegations of sexual harassment against the Senate President.
Akpabio had attempted to reject Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition of sexual harassment.
Natasha had earlier presented her petition rising on Order 10 based on privileges and was referred to the Senate Committee On Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
However, soon afterwards, Chief Whip of the senate, Senator Mohammed Monguno, raised a point of order quoting Senate Standing Rule, Rule 40 (4) which states: No senator must present a petition signed by himself.
He therefore requested that the senate reject Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition.
His view was supported by Akpabio who also quoted the senate standing rule saying: The senate must not receive or deliberate on any matter to which actions are pending in any court of law.
Similarly, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi argued that there was no need to deliberate on the matter after it had been forwarded to the committee.
He said, “It’s left for the committee to decide and handle it.”
But Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele however opposed his submission stating that the issue concerns the integrity of the senate declaring the petition defective.
Bamidele called for the senate to dissolve into the committee of the whole to which Akpabio rejected after the house was descending into commotion.
Akpabio argued that they were strangers including parliamentarians from the United Kingdom in the chamber and calling for a committee of the whole means they are asking the strangers to go.
The senate President subsequently ruled Bamidele out of order and requested that the senate move into the business of the day.
