From Moshood Karim
Neda Imasuen, the Senator representing Edo South and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, has publicly clarified the circumstances surrounding the sexual harassment petition filed against Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
At a press conference in Benin City on Friday, Senator Imasuen addressed why the petition, initially filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan, was dismissed by his committee.
Imasuen explained that the first petition submitted by Akpoti-Uduaghan had been rejected on the grounds that it was signed by the senator herself, a violation of the Senate’s standing rules. According to the regulations, a petition cannot be signed by the individual directly involved in the matter; it must be signed by another senator or a representative from the affected party’s constituency.
“The petition was signed by the senator herself, which is against our standing rules. It must be signed by someone else,” Emasuen clarified. “When the petition was initially presented, it could not be entertained, and this was the reason why it was dismissed.”
He also mentioned that after the initial rejection, the senator was asked to resubmit the petition with the proper documentation. However, when it was resubmitted, the second petition still contained errors. Imasuen revealed that the resubmitted petition lacked a formal address and instead contained only a voting unit and ward, with a phone number that did not function. Despite these issues, he said that his committee made efforts to contact Akpoti-Uduaghan to resolve the matter.
However, when the petitioner appeared before the committee, he refused to speak on the case, accusing the committee of bias.
Addressing these accusations, Imasuen firmly denied any bias in handling the sexual harassment allegation, stressing that his role was to ensure that the Senate’s standing rules were followed impartially. “It is not a one-man committee. The Ethics Committee comprises about 29 members, and decisions are made collectively. I have handled a variety of matters in this committee, ranging from oil spillage in the Niger Delta to promotions in the military, and there is no personal agenda against anyone.”
Imasuen further emphasised that the Ethics Committee was one of the first standing committees set up by the Senate and was not formed specifically to handle sexual harassment cases. “The Ethics Committee is a critical body that handles various matters, and for anyone to suggest that it was set up to target a specific individual is a mischaracterisation of its role,” he stated.
The senator also clarified that the legal proceedings related to the sexual harassment allegations were ongoing in a competent court. “There are ongoing court cases that involve the Senate President and the complainant. Our rules clearly state that if a matter is before a court of law, we cannot hear it. That is why the matter was returned to the full Senate with the recommendation that we cannot proceed, given that the case is sub judice.”
Imasuen took issue with what he called a campaign of misinformation, stating that some individuals were spreading false narratives about the proceedings in the committee. “It is unfortunate that some people who have no understanding of the facts are out there peddling lies,” he said, dismissing claims of bias as unfounded.
When asked about rumours that some of his constituents were advocating for his recall from the Senate due to alleged bias and underperformance, Imasuen responded by accusing his detractors of orchestrating a smear campaign. He claimed that the individuals leading the calls for his recall were “paid actors” who had been brought in from Kogi State to protest in Benin City.
“I am aware that many of those calling for my recall were invited to Kogi, paid, and briefed on how to come to Benin City and protest against me. These people were sent to work for money, and they are here doing what they were paid to do,” Imasuen stated. “It is deeply troubling that individuals from Kogi would come to Edo to incite unrest in our own State. I can only surmise that the hunger in the land has driven people to sell their integrity for a quick gain.”
The senator made it clear that he would not be intimidated by such campaigns. “I have always acted in accordance with my conscience and the laws that govern this institution. If my actions in this case are misunderstood, I stand by my commitment to fairness and the rule of law.”
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