Embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan showed up today Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex alongside her husband and gave him a brief kiss before smiling and entering the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Upper House.
A case filed by her in court has also resulted in an interim order stopping the Ethics Committee of the Senate from sitting to investigate the matter.
In a brief but affectionate moment, the Alema of Warri, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan and Natasha his wife exchanged a kiss before she proceeded into the chamber to take her seat.
The development comes just as the Ethics Committee was preparing to convene and indefinitely suspend Senator Natasha over what is gross insubordination against the Senate and its President Godswill Akpabio whom she is charging with sexual harassment.
The interim court order has effectively halted the committee’s proceedings pending further review.
The controversy started in February when a seat rearrangement led to a clash between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio.
On Wednesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan sat in her new seat but refused to stand when Akpabio entered the chamber — a break from the usual tradition of showing respect to the presiding officer.
During plenary, Natasha rose up after being recognised by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Natasha: “Distinguished colleagues, I am Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and I stand to raise a petition under Order 40: ‘A petition may only be presented to the Senate by a Senator who shall affix his or her name at the beginning thereof.’
“The petition is in my name 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 on Friday, on Arise TV, I did make some statements and I have decided to narrow these 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.”
Akpabio: “You may proceed.”
PRO-NATASHA PROTESTERS STORM NASS, TEAR-GASSED
Protesters in support of the Kogi lawmaker stormed the National Assembly on Wednesday as the Ethics Committee is set to commence probe.
As the protesters gathered, cans of tear gas were fired but the protesters appeared undeterred as they regrouped barricaded by security agencies.
The protesters accused the Senate President of silencing and maligning women, as they called on President Bola Tinubu to wade in.
They said sexual allegation is a human rights issue.
AKPABIO DENIES SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS
Senate President Akpabio on Wednesday during the Senate’s plenary denied Natasha’s allegations of sexual harassment made against him.
Akpabio said: “Since the 20th of February, I have been inundated with phone calls from various Nigerians.
“I would like to state that at no time did I sexually harass Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“I and my siblings were raised very well by my late single mother died in year 2000 through very difficult times and I therefore have the highest regards for women.
“Even after her demise, I still cry till today. I also wish to state that I have four beautiful daughters.
“So at no time have I or will I ever harass any woman, and I have never done so. In addition, even as a state governor, I was awarded various awards. One of them was the one you wish to know, the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria.
“I served between 2007 and 2015. To God be the glory. In conclusion, I urge all Nigerians, particularly the media and then, of course, the members of the social media, to await the court’s decision and please do not jump to conclusions on matters of mere allegations.
“I want to thank you for listening to me. I thank my colleagues because some of the phone calls were calls of support, solidarity, and prayer that the Almighty God will step in to vindicate the just.”
Shortly after his comments, Akpoti-Uduaghan raised a petition under Order 40, accusing him of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
The Senate referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct for further investigation.
COURT STOPS NIGERIAN SENATE FROM PROBING, DISCIPLINING NATASHA
The Abuja Federal High Court issued an interim order stopping the Senate Ethics Committee from proceeding with its planned investigation of the actions of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, effectively pausing the committee’s deliberations.
The court presided by Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by counsels to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central.
This interim order halts all proceedings on the matter pending further judicial review.
On February 20, 2025, during a Senate session, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered that her seat had been reassigned without prior notice.
Interpreting this as an attempt to diminish her visibility and stifle her contributions, she refused to occupy the new seat.
Chief Whip Tahir Monguno cited Senate rules to justify the reassignment, explaining that changes were necessary due to shifts in party affiliations among senators.
Despite this, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood her ground, leading to a heated exchange with Senate President Akpabio, who directed the sergeant-at-arms to enforce the seating arrangement.
Following the seating arrangement dispute, the Senate unanimously voted to refer Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for a disciplinary review.
The committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun, was tasked with submitting its findings within two weeks.
Consequently, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Akpabio and his aide, Mfon Patrick. The suit alleged that a Facebook post authored by Patrick, at Akpabio’s behest, contained defamatory remarks about her, including comments on her legislative competence and personal appearance.
However, the Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the Senate committee from conducting any disciplinary proceeding against the Senator.
The presiding Judge, Obiora Egwuatu, gave the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel.
According to the enrolled court order obtained by our Correspondent on Wednesday, the court said, “Upon reading the twenty-five (25) paragraphed Affidavit in support of the Motion Ex-parte and the Affidavit of Urgency, both deposed to by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Adult, Female, Christian, Nigerian citizen of Kogi Central Senatorial District, and the Written Address, all filed at the Registry of this Court.
“After hearing Sanusi Musa SAN, M. J. Numa SAN, Y. M. Zakari Esq., B. J. Tabai Esq., Tijanni Jimol Esq., and Miss M. C. Bekee Esq., Counsel for the Applicant, arguing the application and urging the Court to grant the reliefs sought.
“And the Court having delivered its Bench Ruling in open Court, its reasonings and conclusions are as contained in the body of the Bench Ruling. It is hereby ordered as follows: 1. An order of this Honourbale Court is made granting leave to the Plaintiff/Applicant to serve the 2nd – 4th Defendants/Respondents with the Originating Summons and all other accompanying processes in this Suit by substituted means, to wit: by serving same through the 1st Defendant (Clerk of the National Assembly) or pasting same on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing same in two national dailies.
“2. An Order of Interim Injuction of this Honourable Court is made restraining the 2nd Defendant/Defendant’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, headed by the 4th Defendant, from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff/Applicant for alleged misconduct, sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary of the 2nd Defendant on the 20th day of February 2025, pursuant to the referral by the 2nd Defendant on the 25th of February 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.
“3. An order of this Honourable Court is made directing the 1st – 4th Defendants to show cause within 72 hours upon the service of this order on them, why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them, restraining them from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affording her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.”
Rising under order 40 of the Senate rules, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she had made some comments on Arise TV bordering on alleged sexual harassment by Akpabio, and had decided to table same as a petition before the Senate.
Akpabio asked the Senator to proceed with the submission of the petition — which she did.
“Distinguished colleagues, this petition is hereby referred to the committee on code of conduct, ethics and public petitions, which should revert to the Senate as soon as practicable,” Akpabio said.
However, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, chief whip of the Senate, raised an objection against the submission of the petition.
He argued that the Senate cannot entertain Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition because the case is in court.
Quoting order 40, rule 7, he said “Senate should not receive or deliberate on any matter to which actions are pending in the court of law”.
Akpoti-Uduaghan rejected Monguno’s point, arguing that he had got the sequence of events wrong.
“This matter is not in court. The matter in court is a defamation against the Senate president’s special assistant on social media, Patrick Mfon, who accused me of dressing indecently to the Senate,” the Kogi lawmaker said.
Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate leader, also debated against the submission of the petition.
“We cannot relax our rules. This petition cannot stand. It is in court. It is defective. There is no way we can accept this petition,” Bamidele hollered.
The Senate leader then moved that the Senate goes into a closed session.
A brief rowdy session ensued before calm was restored.
The Senate thereafter proceeded with the business of the day, with Akpoti-Uduaghan staging a walkout.
