The Senate on Wednesday threw out the petition filed against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, saying the petition “is dead on arrival”.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions, Neda Imasuen, made the pronouncement at a public hearing raised for the purpose of investigating alleged misconduct against Natasha.
Senator Imasuen also dismissed the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Senate from subjecting Natasha to any disciplinary measures.
According to him, since Senator Natasha had filed a sexual harassment case in court against Akpabio, the committee cannot entertain her petition on the same subject.
Imasuen added that by rule, the Senate and its committees do not entertain petitions that are already before any court.
Senator Imasuen cited the principles of separation of powers for rejecting the court order restraining the Senate from taking disciplinary measures against the female senator.
“The legislature is a separate arm of government and another arm of government cannot dictate to the other,” Imasuen said.
