Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has urged the Senate to appoint an independent investigator to look into the petition on sexual harassment against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, which was filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

In a statement, Ezekwesili also demanded that the Senate elevate the status of the proceedings on Senator Natasha by the Ethics and Privileges Committee into a public hearing for full transparency and disclosure.

She urged the Senate to ensure that Akpabio does not preside over the investigation of the allegation against him.

She said, "Our National Assembly which comprises the Senate and the House of Representatives belongs to the Nigerian People and not to politicians of any stripe and status.

"This is why the National Assembly is called a Public Institution.

"No individual nor collection of individuals and their groups can capture a Public Institution and use to their personal benefit or advantage.

"Whenever a situation as the one involving Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senator Godswill Akpabio occurs, the Lawmakers must understand the Nigerian public want transparency and full disclosure."

She described the lawmakers' dismissal of the accusation against the Senate President as irresponsibly and a democratic aberration, adding, "It cannot stand. Never."

"What happened yesterday in the Senate Chamber where a Senate President presided over a grave matter involving him, was farcical and a blot on our Democracy.

"It is in our Public Interest that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan petition be urgently given the seriousness it deserves to defend the institutional integrity of our Senate," Ezekwesili concluded.

ASA