Senate has no business investigating sexual assault claims against Akpabio – CNPD
ABUJA: The Citizens Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria CNPD has asked the Senate not to waste its time and taxpayers’ money probing allegations of sexual assault against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The civil society coalition in a statement on Monday in Abuja said in the absence of a formal petition to its Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions committee, it would amount to a distraction to venture into a matter not before it.
Executive Director of the coalition, Barr. Francis Okereke Wainwei urged the Senate to strictly abide by its rules, saying the sexual assault allegations made by Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan should not derail the legislative body from probing the Kogi senator for disrupting its proceedings last Thursday.
He said; “The Citizens Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria hereby calls on the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not to be distracted by the sexual harassment allegation leveled against the Senate President, Sen. Godswill O.Akpabio, by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan but remain focused on discharging its constitutional responsibilities to the Nigerian people.
“This call is necessitated by the strength of our findings, which revealed that the primary aim of the sexual harassment allegation might be to escape punishment from the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which is investigating Sen. Natasha for breach of the rules of the Senate. It seems to be a desperate attempt to divert attention from her disciplinary proceedings.
“There are some pertinent questions that beg for answers: Why is it that Sen.Natasha had not told her husband about the sexual harassment till now? Why has she not used the due process in the Senate to pursue redress for the sexual harassment that supposedly took place over a year ago? Why did she not confide in the other female senators and seek their support in fighting against her harassment? Why is the sexual harassment allegation coming up now that she has been summoned for disciplinary action by the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges ?
“We are therefore,calling on the Senate to religiously adhere to the strict enforcement of it’s rules and extant parliamentary procedures. This is to ensure the sustenance of its parliamentary integrity and due process without being swayed negatively by any extraneous distraction or sentiment. The Senate should focus on discharging its constitutional responsibilities and duties to the Nigerian people and shouldn’t waste its precious time and resources on frivolous issues, such as the Sen. Natasha sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President,as she didn’t even formally present it before the Senate”.
Recalling that Natasha had in the past unable to prove similar allegations against former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, the group also accused former Senate President Bukola Saraki of partisanship in the matter.
CNPD noted “condemned the statement credited to former Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki, calling on the Senate President to step aside for his Deputy to preside over the investigation of the alleged sexual harassment”.
We are very disappointed that such statement was made by such a highly respected former parliamentarian,who knows the rules of the Senate and its parliamentary procedures.
Mr Saraki is aware that before any allegation or any matter can be investigated by the Senate, it must be raised in the Senate or formally presented before it. This matter was never raised or presented in the Senate, so how can the Senate investigate it?
“And also the incident Sen. Saraki referred to is materially and factually different from the instant matter. While the matter under his Senate Presidency was a matter that directly affected the running of his office as Senate President and was raised in the Senate, this sexual harassment matter is a private matter that allegedly happened outside of the Senate, that doesn’t directly affect the administration of the office of the Senate President and was never formally presented before the Senate.
“We know that Sen. Saraki is playing politics with this sexual harassment matter. He is using it to attract accolades and applause from his party faithful in preparation for 2027 elections and also to show solidarity with his party member as a partisan leader but such comments are not patriotic and don’t mean well for the nation”, the coalition added.
