Members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) have warned the Senate to move on from the sexual harassment allegations and petition involving the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kogi Central senator by attending to more important national assignments.

In particular, the private sector group – comprising business organisations, namely: Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI); Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA); Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industries (NASSI) – bemoaned that the Akpabio/Natasha sexual harassment saga was taking the centre-stage of activities at the National Assembly, urging the Senate to attend to the consider the controversial Tax Reform Bills before it as national priority.

Speaking in different interviews with New Telegraph in Lagos, Director-General of MAN, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf and Director-General/CEO, LCCI, Dr Chinyere Almona stated that the Senate is gradually negating its legislative process with the way attention is given to the Akpabio/Natasha sexual harassment saga.

Specifically, they warned the Senate that passage of the Tax Reform Bills slated for March ending is very crucial and apt, since the House of Representatives, had passed its own in advance.

Yusuf said: “There is need for the Senate to move on to more important things. The sexual harassment thing, the petition has been submitted and that should not hold up all the major and very important works of the Senate.

Investigation can be done and investigation can go on. The Committee on Ethics can continue to meet on it. But more important national issues should be given priorities at this time.”

On the tax reform bills, the CPPE CEO said, since it has been passed by the House of Representatives, it remains for the Senate to pass it, adding: “I know there has been some consensus around many of the provisions in the tax reform bills.

So, it is one of the most important things they need to attend to at this moment. “But I think if they devote time on it, it is something they need to expedite action on, so that they can pass it.

But, the more important thing is that they should move on and attend to more important issues beyond this sexual harassment thing. Investigation can go on pari-passu their main assignments- legislation.”

On Senator Natasha’s sexual harassment petition, Yusuf noted: “The investigation can go on. Please, Akpabio is not the Senate.

We have a Deputy Senate President. And appearing in the Senate Ethics Committee, how many days would they appear? Is it not just only one day? So, they are not going to appear forever. “In any case, if the Senate President is not there, the Deputy Senate President is there.

I think when they are deliberating on it the Senate President should not even be the one deliberating on that kind of report. He should not be presiding when they are deliberating on it.

“So it should not actually disturb the work of the Senate; they should prioritise all these other important things above the sexual harassment allegations.”

On his part, MAN DG said: “The passage of the tax reform bills is more priority for the senators than any other thing at this period. We are concerned about the fate of the tax reform bills because sexual harassment petition has taken over most activities in the upper chamber now and this is not good for our legislative process moving forward.”

Similarly, LCCI DG also said: “Our senators must sit down and attend to important legislative matters bordering on our economic growth than this attention given to sexual harassment allegations.

“However, the Deputy Chief Whip has disclosed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Kogi Central lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan are set to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions (SCEPPP).