According to reports, Senate President Godswill Akpabio is thinking of temporarily resigning in order to clear his name of sexual harassment charges and make room for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to be suspended indefinitely.
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions (SCEPPP) will look into the accusations made against Akpabio, according to Senate sources.
Senator Natasha accused him of sexual harassment during a quarrel over Senate chamber seating arrangements, and the panel is anticipated to formally exonerate him before suggesting that he be suspended indefinitely.
According to federal legislative insiders, Akpabio and Natasha will both be appearing before the committee in the next few days.
The committee is supposed to absolve Akpabio of any wrongdoing once he temporarily resigns “to fulfil all righteousness.” After that, Natasha will be suspended for the balance of her employment.
Senator Neda Imasuen will be in charge of the inquiry. This well-thought-out plan is said to include the recent remarks made by Senate Deputy Chief Whip Onyekachi Nwebonyi and Senator Ireti Kingibe.
After first criticizing Natasha for her response to the seat reassignment, Kingibe has now promised to back an investigation into the sexual harassment allegation.
“First, I would like to assure Nigerians that I will be at the forefront to champion the sexual harassment case involving my colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan when the investigation comes to the red chamber.
“I am aware of the narrative that has been going around, and to set the record straight, my actions were not to undermine her claims, but to buttress that I was not aware in the first place of any such happenings. Notwithstanding, I remain steadfast in the fight against all forms of violence against girls and women,” her statement on Friday said.
Akpabio and Natasha, as well as other senators who were present at the alleged event, would come before the investigating panel, Nwebonyi revealed in an interview with Channels Television.
According to a senior Senate source, the intention is to keep Natasha suspended for the remainder of her term.
“The plan currently being orchestrated is to suspend Senator Natasha till the end of her tenure in 2027. The report of the panel is already being prepared, and the panel itself is just a formality.
“Akpabio will announce that he is stepping down temporarily to face investigation. After a few hours, the committee will declare him innocent, and Natasha will be suspended indefinitely,” the source revealed.
After the senator Natasha accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her while she was visiting his home in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in December 2023, the two senators’ disagreement intensified. She claims that even when her husband was around, Akpabio made unwanted approaches, held her hand, and guided her about his home.
Natasha has already declined a fresh seat in the chamber. She ultimately received a six-month suspension for what the Senate called “misconduct.”
The Senate Ethics Committee’s report, which was presided over by Senator Neda Imasuen, served as the basis for the decision.
She was prohibited from approaching the Senate building after her suspension. Among other sanctions, she was told to turn over all official property to the National Assembly Clerk.
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