Ezekwesili Criticizes Senate for Rejecting Natasha’s Petition Against Akpabio

Former Minister Oby Ezekwesili has condemned the Senate’s decision to dismiss Senator Natasha Akpoti’s petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, calling it a setback for justice.

Oby Ezekwesili, the former Minister of Education, has urged the Senate to take seriously Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and not disregard it.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, the representative for Kogi Central, accused Akpabio of sexual harassment—a charge that the Senate President has fervently denied.

However, on Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Ethics rejected the petition, labeling it as “dead on arrival.”

In response to the development, Ezekwesili expressed criticism of the decision and called on lawmakers to address the issue with transparency instead of dismissing it outright.

In a post on her X page Thursday, Ezekwesili stated that the senate would be doing itself a disservice if it treated the allegation lightly.

She emphasized the need for an open public hearing to discuss the petition, with someone other than the accused presiding over it.

“Our national assembly, consisting of the senate and house of representatives, belongs to the Nigerian people rather than politicians of any affiliation or status,” Ezekwesili stated.

This is why the national assembly is considered a public institution: it cannot be controlled by any individual or group for personal gain or benefit.

Whenever situations like the one involving Senators Natasha Akpoti and Akpabio arise, lawmakers need to recognize that the Nigerian public demands transparency and full disclosure.

Ignoring a serious accusation against the Senate President, as the senators irresponsibly did yesterday, is a violation of democratic principles. This cannot be allowed to continue—never.

The events that took place yesterday in the senate chamber, where a senate president oversaw serious proceedings concerning himself, were absurd and tarnished our democracy.

It is crucial for the public interest that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition receives prompt and serious attention to uphold the institutional integrity of our senate.

The Senate’s Ethics Committee has suggested suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan following a heated debate with the Senate President regarding seating arrangements.