Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has called on the Nigerian Senate to properly address the sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, rather than dismissing it outright.
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Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, had accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her—an allegation the Senate President has strongly denied. However, on Wednesday, the Senate’s Ethics Committee described her petition as “dead on arrival,” a decision that has sparked criticism.
Reacting in a post on her X (formerly Twitter) page on Thursday, Ezekwesili warned that the Senate would undermine its credibility by handling the allegation with levity. She insisted that the petition must be openly discussed in a public hearing, free from Akpabio’s influence.
“Our National Assembly, which comprises the Senate and House of Representatives, belongs to the Nigerian people and not to politicians of any stripe and status,” she wrote.
“This is why the National Assembly is called a public institution. No individual nor collection of individuals and their groups can capture a public institution and use it for their personal benefit or advantage.
“Dismissing a serious accusation against the Senate President just like the senators irresponsibly did yesterday is a democratic aberration. It cannot stand. Never.”
Ezekwesili also criticized the manner in which the Senate handled the matter, calling it “farcical” and “a blot on our democracy.” She stressed that for the integrity of the Senate to remain intact, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition must be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated.
Meanwhile, the Senate has suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, citing a heated debate she had with Akpabio over seating arrangements as the immediate cause. However, many believe the suspension is linked to her sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President.
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