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Senators on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a vote of confidence in the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, despite the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him by Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Members of the upper chamber also urged Nigerians not to allow the allegations to serve as a distraction from the legislative responsibilities of the National Assembly.
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The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment and reported the matter, along with her suspension from the Senate, to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
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The suspension of the Kogi senator has been a subject of controversy, with some critics alleging it was politically motivated.
Mr Bamidele, while presenting the motion, acknowledged that the issue had attracted widespread public interest, especially regarding how the Senate planned to handle the allegations.
“There’s no pretending about the fact that members of the public have been genuinely interested in matters happening within this hallowed chamber in the last two weeks, especially with respect to the allegation by one of our distinguished members, home and abroad, as to whether or not she had been sexually harassed. And I feel it is important once and for all that we place on record where we are on this matter and rest the matter as an institution so that we can concentrate, while we allow the court of law and any other agencies who constitute such matters to do their job.”
The senate leader questioned the credibility and timing of the allegations, explaining that the Senate was unaware of any such claims until Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke about them on Arise Television.
He noted that her claims coincided with the day the Senate referred her alleged misconduct to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
“This Senate, for the record, was never at any point between August 2023, when distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged to have been sexually harassed by the President of the Nigerian Senate, until the day that we announced on this floor that we were referring the petition brought by the distinguished Senator Yemi Adaramodu, with respect to Senator Natasha’s flagrant disobedience to the rules and regulations of this Senate, was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. In other words, none of us was ever told about any sexual harassment situation. I want that to be clear.”
Sexual harassment allegation is distraction
Mr Bamidele insisted that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had nothing to do with her allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Akpabio.
He reiterated that her six-month suspension from the Senate was based on her alleged violation of Senate rules, which the senate president had the duty to enforce.
“I also want to make it clear to the public that the issue before us, as of the time we referred this matter to the Ethics and Privileges Committee, it had nothing to do with sexual harassment,” he noted.
Mr Bamidele dismissed claims that Mr Akpabio acted as a judge in his own case with a clarification that the senate president only presided over the issue of misconduct and not the sexual harassment claims.
He urged the public to understand that the Senate is governed by laws, not personal interests.
Mr Bamidele argued that suspension is a necessary measure to maintain order in the parliament.
“And some of the critics who have said this Senate allowed Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, to be a judge in his own case and to preside over his own matter, need to be told, with all due respect, that the matter before us and on which Senator Godswill Akpabio presided over, as the President of the Senate, had to do with the motion that was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
“While we appreciate the concern of the public on this matter, I just want to emphasise that it is important that we also seek the understanding of the general public that we were elected to serve the people and we are guided. Whatever we do in this chamber, we are guided by rules. And these rules are also drawn pursuant to the Constitution of our country.
“So, it is not a rule of men. It is a rule of law. It is not about some men trying to gang up against a woman or anybody. It is about ensuring that our rules are respected. That is the only way we can guarantee peace, we can guarantee law and order. That is the only way we can have an atmosphere in which we will be able to do our job and serve the Nigerian people,” he said.
Legality of Apoti-Uduagan’s suspension
The legality of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension has been a subject of debate, with the argument that the legislature lacks the power to suspend its member beyond 14 days as mandated by a court ruling.
However, Mr Bamidele defended the Senate’s decision by citing Section 60 of the Nigerian Constitution, which gives the legislature the power to regulate its own procedure.
He said, “Again, some of the critics have also said we have no right to even suspend a member of this parliament or this Senate. Again, I will leave that within the context of jurisprudence, as the courts will always speak to that. But it is very clear on our rules as to how far we can go, and we are not of the opinion that we are in breach of either the Constitution or any of our rules.
“Section 60 of the Nigerian Constitution confers on this parliament the constitutional rights to regulate its own procedure. And section 1 (b) of our rules book also makes it clear by reiterating that constitutional authority granted to us by section 60 of the Constitution gave us the right to regulate our procedure.
And suspension, as far as we are concerned, is the only alternative to the kind of anarchy that the nation witnessed in the past, where members of parliament had reasons to shout, to get physically engaged with each other, to engage in acts of violence, to tear each other’s clothes and, you know, do all manners of things. We are moving, thank God that we have moved away from that. It also shows that democracy is growing.
“If there are people who still have issues with whether or not we can even suspend an erring legislator who has refused or who is refusing to work within the rules, you know, I believe, again, like I said, it’s for the courts to continue to adjudicate, you know, on that, unless the Constitution is amended, taking away the authority for us to regulate our own procedure. And then, of course, with respect to the question of whether or not we are to, I mean, follow our rules, let me emphasise that the seventh schedule to our Constitution, the seventh schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, is clear. And it contains the oath of office that we are all made to take before we assume office as senators.”
Senate unites behind Akpabio
The motion of confidence in Mr Akpabio was seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Olalere Oyewumi, representing Osun West.
It was, thereafter, put to a vote by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session.
A majority of senators expressed their support for Mr Akpabio’s leadership, despite the controversy surrounding him.
The deputy senate president approved the vote of confidence.
He reiterated that the matter is now before the court and thereafter, urged senators to focus on their oversight functions, especially with the recently passed budget.
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