Senators in Nigeria are addressed with the appellation: “Distinguished,” which means very successful, authoritative, commanding great respect, dignified and noble in appearance or manner. The Society expects them to behave in a dignified and respectable manner both within and outside the floor of the Senate.
It is customary worldwide for parliaments to have set rules all members are bound to adhere to and there are penalties for flouting them.
Nigerians were taken aback recently when they watched as Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan threw caution to the wind while reacting to the reallocation of her seat by the leadership: an exercise that is routine in the Senate. She was not the only one affected. In fact, Senators Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT) and Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) told Nigerians that their seats have been changed four times since the inauguration of the 10th Senate in June 2013. Several ranking Senators have also been affected. How Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan viewed the action as targeting her beats my imagination. Her reaction on the floor of the Senate without decorum didn’t portray her as a Distinguished Senator. It is either she was deliberately mischievous or ignorant of the Senate rules. And the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele was right in advising her to familiarise herself with the Senate rules.
The Senate in response to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s behaviour referred her case of gross misconduct to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges for investigation. Instead of her to appear before the committee, she rushed to the court to obtain an order to stop her probe even when she knew that no court is empowered to halt the Senate from doing its job. There have been several court decisions in this regard.
Just as the Senate cannot pass a law or resolution stopping the courts from sitting, the courts themselves are not empowered by the law to issue an order stopping the Senate from performing its constitutional duties. But individuals are free to challenge the actions taken by the National Assembly in court. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan can’t claim not to be aware of this.
The Committee met and she declined to honour its invitation and it recommended her suspension for six months after being found guilty of gross misconduct and flouting Senate rules. This recommendation was approved by the Senate.
A few days after her outburst on the floor of the Senate, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during an interview on a national television accused the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment. She claimed the event happened in Akpabio’s house in Akwa Ibom State when she and husband were visiting. In 2023. But she chose to make it public in 2025. Senator Kingibe said up until the penultimate day the change of seat happened, Senator Natasha had more privileges than the other three female Senators. Her relationship with Akpabio remained very cordial even after the alleged sexual harassment. This speaks volumes. Let’s not forget that she didn’t make the allegation on the floor of the Senate.
When ignorant Nigerians demanded that the allegation should be investigated, the Senate correctly told them that there was no petition before it on the sexual harassment allegation. That was when it dawned on Natasha to formally submit a petition to the Senate. The first one suffered procedural error and was promptly rejected. She submitted a second one on the day she was suspended and was immediately referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges for investigation. So, the petition is alive and I plead with the Committee to invite her to provide evidence to substantiate her allegation and the Senator should also be invited to defend himself.
This is not the first time Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan would be accusing someone of sexual harassment. She once claimed that Reno Omokri, a former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, harassed her sexually. Omokri didn’t just deny the allegation, he went ahead to prove that on the very day Natasha claimed he harassed her sexually, he was not in Nigeria. He photocopied the information page of his passport to prove his innocence. When Natasha realised that her lies had been exposed, she promptly deleted all posts on the sexual allegations against Omokri. But the Internet doesn’t forget. It is an act of wickedness for any woman to use sexual harassment as a weapon knowing full well that the odds are stacked against the man when such allegations are made
Naturally, any reasonable human being will doubt Natasha’s latest sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio considering the false claim she once made against Omokri .
This is not suggesting that her latest claim shouldn’t be investigated. But she shouldn’t blame anyone who calls her latest claim as “cock and bull story”, considering her antecedent.
Sexual harassment is a criminal offence and it is not statue barred. She can still formally report it to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for investigation if she is sure of her story. Natasha’s friends and family should advise her to behave as a Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Telling bare face lies to the international community on her suspension is disingenuous. You can’t win sympathies by engaging in falsehoods. Telling the Inter Parliamentary Union that she was suspended for submitting a sexual harassment petition against the President of the Senate was a minus for her. She flouted the Senate rule by appearing at that event in New York because a Senator is barred from presenting himself or herself in any local or international event while on suspension.
Nigeria is a sovereign nation that cannot be dictated to by the international community. The IPU is not gullible or easily swayed by lies. It has stated correctly that it would hear from the other side before saying anything on the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan.
. Osikhekha is a public affairs analyst.
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