By Citizenship Daily
The Senator representing Kogi Central Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been having a running battle with the leadership of the Senate over alleged misconduct over sitting arrangement has failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics Code of Conduct and Public Petition Wednesday.
In her absence, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions said the petition on alleged sexual harassment filed by Senator Natasha against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio was “dead on arrival”.
Chairman of the Committee Senator Neda Imaseun (Edo South) said this at the investigative hearing of the committee over the petition.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had during Wednesday’s plenary, submitted a petition, which Akpabio accepted initially and referred to the Ethics Committee.
Natasha said “I have a petition against the President of the Nigerian Senate, His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio for sexual harassment, abuse of office and malicious obstruction of my legislative functions.
“You may recall, Sir, that on Friday, on Arise TV, I did make some statements. And I have decided to narrow the statements in a formal petition against the President of this Senate.
“So if it may please you, I will humbly step forward and lay this petition”.
However, a heated session ensued when Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Mohammed Monguno, citing Order 40 (4), argued that Senate rules must be strictly adhered to.
Order 40 (4) reads: “No senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by himself”.
He warned that any deviation to these rules could lead to “chaos and anarchy” as such the Senate would protect the sacred provisions of the rules.
Monguno further noted that the matter was subjudice. “The petitioner, Senator Natasha, has gone to court in respect of this matter.
“And also, the wife of the Senate President has equally gone to court in respect of this matter. So, this matter is sub judiced.
“Therefore, the Senate does not have to do anything to entertain this matter,” he said.
He advised that the matter should be referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio said “the Senate actually referred her matter not because I’m not aware of the provisions of the rules. It is because when people are watching from outside, they may not know we are guided by rules”.
Imaseun at the investigative hearing after plenary session said “It is the procedure of this committee, as a matter of fact, the first thing we ask when the petition comes to us is whether or not that petition is before any law court.
“And if the answer is yes, we do not touch such petitions. In addition to that, our Red Book also, under Order 40, has also laid down the processes that must be followed before a petition is laid.
“If you allow me, Order 40 of our rulebook, subsection 4, says that no senator may present to the Senate a petition signed by him or herself.
” In other words, I cannot submit a petition about myself, signed by myself, that petition ought to be presented by another senator. And I’m sure that there are three senators from Kogi state, as it is with other states, and that was not done.
“But that report, we will not even touch it because it’s a matter before the court.
“We do not actually pay much reference to this order that came, we are going back on our rulebook, like I said before, that the petition she presented today is actually “dead on arrival.”
“I say that because it runs contrary to Order 40, subsection 4, no senator will present in the Senate a petition signed by him or herself. and that petition, having been signed by her, will not be entertained by this committee.”
Earlier, the Committee had also began an investigation over alleged disorderly conduct of Akpoti-Uduaghan during a plenary session on Feb 25.
Senate had referred a petition presented by its Spokesperson, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu (Ekiti South) to the committee on Feb 25 to the committee and mandate it to turn its report in two weeks.
The petition followed the controversy surrounding recent altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the senate leadership over seat allocation.
Present at the hearing to make presentation was author of the petition Adaramodu, Chairman Senate Committee of Rules and Business, Senator Titus Zam (Benue North West) and the Sargent-At-Arms of the Senate Mr. Mukter Usman.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was however absent at the investigative hearing.
Adaramodu had described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions as “extreme intransigence and flagrant disregard of senate rule book.
He had urged the senate leadership to enforce discipline, warning that ‘where there is sin, there must be penalty’.
Imaseun speaking further on the alleged disorderly conduct said: “Ladies and gentlemen, she’s not here, now I can understand why she’s not here, she’s probably not here on the order of her lawyers, that being the case, the committee will sit and will deliberate on what we’ve gotten.
“Senators have presented their cases before us based on our rulebook and all other documents that are available to us, we shall make a decision here, and then present to the full Senate.
