Senator Godswill Akpabio appears to be in a bigger trouble as the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the national assembly, has taken her case against him to the international stage.
At the Women in Parliament Session held during the IPU meeting in New York, Senator Natasha called for justice and intervention from global democratic institutions, alleging that her suspension from the Nigerian Senate was unlawful.
She warned that powerful figures in Nigeria might attempt to detain her for speaking out.
News Band reported that her suspension followed a heated face-off with Akpabio over a new Senate seating arrangement, which she claimed was designed to undermine her.
Senator Akpabio refused to recognise her during plenary because she was not speaking from the newly assigned seat.
Tensions escalated when Natasha accused Akpabio on national television of punishing her for rejecting his sexual advances.
She later submitted a petition detailing claims of sexual harassment by the Senate President.
However, during an investigative hearing at the national assembly on Wednesday last week, the Committee Chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, declared that the petition was “dead on arrival”, citing a breach of Order 40 of the Senate Standing Orders.
He argued that Senate rules must be strictly adhered to, warning that any deviation could lead to “chaos and anarchy.”
He insisted that the Senate must “stamp its feet in defense of its rules,” adding that no matter pending before a court of law should be deliberated upon by the Senate, as it would be deemed sub judice.
