KEY POINTS
- The Senate Senate imposed a six-month suspension on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resulting from her accusations of sexual harassment against President Godswill Akpabio.
- Her actions led to the restriction of her National Assembly access and salary and security benefits termination while her office was sealed off.
- The Senate suspended her after she argued about seat reassignment which resulted in a public confrontation inside the Senate chamber.
Senate suspends Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months due to her allegations against Godswill Akpabio and problems surrounding her seat relocation.
Plenary members decided on the suspension based on a recommendation that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions had put forward on Thursday.
Akpoti-Uduaghan must forfeit her legislative benefits as well as staff protection along with a complete exclusion from accessing the National Assembly grounds. During her suspension her staff members will be barred from office access and all her employees will go unpaid.
A six-month suspension period stood as the only choice for Akpoti-Uduaghan to regain her seat or she must apologize officially to the Senate.
Seat reassignment dispute escalates
Onset of the suspension developed from a dramatic Senate encounter when Akpoti-Uduaghan forcibly objected to receiving a new seat assignment. She reached the plenary session to find that somebody had taken away her nameplate and moved her seat thus reportedly trying to stop her from speaking.
The Senate President Godswill Akpabio ordered complete judicial investigation which the Senate Committee on Ethics headed by Neda Imasuen then examined.
All members of the Senate maintained their resolve to take disciplinary measures against her
Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro supported the suspension by comparing it to normal cultural child-disciplining practices that exist in Nigerian society.
The decision from the Ethics Committee started with six months of suspension before Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South) received a three-month reduction in punishment through his petition.
The Senate imposed a six-month suspension on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan due to her sexual harassment allegations against President Godswill Akpabio combined with their disagreement about her seat relocation.
Before reverting from the suspension Akpoti-Uduaghan needs to send a written apology explanation that demonstrates respect for Senate rules to the Judiciary Committee.
Impact of the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six month
The Senate reached its decision based on evidence that Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu (APC Ekiti South) and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs previously presented to them, therefore suspends Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months.
According to the Senate official He argued that the open confrontation between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan had badly damaged the reputation of their institution.
