Despite the ongoing dispute within the Red Chamber, the Nigerian Senate upheld Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s leadership by passing a vote of confidence in him.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader, reportedly moved to invoke Orders 40 and 51 in order to address concerns about the higher legislative body, and this decision came after his motion.
In reaction, she called her suspension unfair and took the issue to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) of the United Nations on Tuesday.
In a formal response to the IPU on Wednesday, the Senate refuted her assertions, claiming that her suspension was a disciplinary step for serious misconduct and a violation of Senate regulations rather than being connected to her accusations.
Despite the increased public attention in the issue, Bamidele made it clear during the Senate session that no formal sexual harassment complaints had ever been brought before the Senate.
The disciplinary action against Senator Natasha, he explained, was solely for violating legislative procedure.
He stated that sexual harassment was not a factor in the incident that was reported to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges. The Senate President presided over no case involving these accusations. We followed the Constitution’s guidelines for due process, and the issue that was addressed was a blatant contempt for Senate norms.
He also emphasized that suspension is still a legal means of preventing chaos and maintained the Senate’s right to uphold discipline and order in its chambers.
Claims that the Senate had overreached its constitutional authority were rejected by the senator, reaffirming the importance of internal disciplinary measures in maintaining parliamentary integrity.
Prior to now, there was never a problem with any of us experiencing sexual harassment, and we continue to believe so. In order to focus, we must leave the past two weeks behind us. We still have work to do, but we have taken every precaution to ensure that the electoral changes and other measures have statutory expressions,” Bamidele continued.
In response to the international outcry, Bamidele explained that the IPU had operated within its own parameters and that Senator Natasha’s remarks at the IPU meeting were her own personal opinions rather than those of Nigeria’s delegation.
Previously, sexual harassment of senators was not a problem, he stated. It is imperative that we put the past two weeks behind us and concentrate on our legislative duties. Tax reform legislation, economic recovery, and election reforms are among the important tasks that lie ahead.
As we all pledged under oath to create laws for the benefit of this nation, the seventh schedule of the 1999 Constitution is unambiguous. We took an oath to uphold it and made sure that everyone did so.
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Speaking to Civil Society Organizations, Bamidele urged them to concentrate their efforts on actual instances of sexual harassment and to be impartial in their study.
Although you have been heard, we must focus on our work. Therefore, know that we are purposefully keeping quiet about this issue moving ahead. Save your energy for those actual victims of sexual harassment and be objective in your opinion.
Finally, the Senate praised Akpabio’s handling of the matter and formally reiterated its faith in his leadership.
The session was chaired by Senator Barau Jibrin, the deputy president of the Senate, who stressed the need of the chamber concentrating on its primary duties, such as monitoring after the budget was passed. The Senate should let the legal system handle the situation, he reminded them, because it was now in court.
