Senator Natasha accused us of bias, let the court that is not biased entertain her petition — Senate panel
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Neda Imaseun, has explained why the panel rejected the s*xual harassment allegation against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, March 25.
Recalled that when the panel sat on Tuesday, it ruled that the sexual harassment case brought before it was adjourned indefinitely.
Explaining how the panel came to that conclusion, Imasuen said Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s first petition was signed by herself, which contravened the laws of the Senate.
This followed the accusation of bias leveled against Imaseun on Tuesday by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Abiola Akiode.
Akiode had asked Imaseun to step down as chairman of the Senate panel.
“Our intention is that, if we are going to proceed, we want the chair to please step down from this conversation to allow for fairness and justice in accordance with the constitution of this country,” Akiode said.
Responding, Imaseun said:
“Let me tell you, the first petition that came before us was signed by Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Contrary to our rules, you cannot sign your own petition. The petition that came before us did not even have an address. Contrary to our rules, that petition shouldn’t have been entertained.
“In any case, for the position that I can see you are taking, it means the whole senate is biased. Because the whole Senate witnessed what happened. So, I don’t know what ad-hoc committee you are going to constitute that is not aware of what has been going on.
“Learned respondent (Akpabio’s counsel) has just told us that this matter is before the law court, and I will address that by our rule book. I will address that by our rule book, order 40 (7), which says ‘senate should not receive or deliberate on any matter to which actions are pending in any court of law’. This is our rule book.
“Therefore, the petitioner said he would not speak to his petition because the committee is biased, the respondent has just told us that this case is before a competent court of law, therefore, this committee will allow the court of law, that will not be biased, to handle this matter.
“Therefore, this matter is closed here at the senate and it is adjourned sine die.”
In a related development, Akpoti-Uduaghan has instituted a contempt application against Imasuen and Senate President Godswill Akpabio over her suspension.
