The Senate, on Wednesday, rejected a sexual harassment petition filed against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following a heated debate over procedural irregularities and legal constraints.

At the start of plenary, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan submitted the petition, reading it aloud before handing it over to Akpabio, who initially accepted it.

However, tensions flared when Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Munguno, raised a point of order, arguing that Senate rules prohibit discussing matters before a court and that no senator can personally sign a petition they submit.

Munguno warned that bending the rules could lead to “chaos and anarchy,” urging strict adherence to Senate procedures. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan countered that her case in court was unrelated to sexual harassment but focused on alleged malicious remarks about her dressing. She invoked Senate Order 10, which allows a senator to speak at any time, insisting that her petition be considered.

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Former Senate Leader Abdullahi Adamu proposed sending the petition to the Ethics Committee for review, sparking further debate. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, however, upheld that Senate rules must be followed, stressing that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition was procedurally flawed and that the matter was already in court. He also noted that Akpabio’s wife had initiated legal action on the issue, reinforcing the argument that the Senate could not deliberate on it.

“We are guided by three things: the Constitution, the Rule Book, and… Mr. President, we are not guided by emotions,” Bamidele stated.

In response, Akpabio clarified that he had initially accepted the petition to avoid public misinterpretation, saying, “I didn’t want people who do not understand our rules to think I was silencing her because I am involved.”

Despite efforts to continue the debate, the Senate ultimately upheld the argument against the petition, ruling it inadmissible.

Reported by News Break Naija.