Akpabio and Natasha
The legislative tiff between Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan hit a toxic note Friday after Senator Natasha had accused Akpabio of making inappropriate advances towards her during a visit to the Senate President’s residence in Akwa Ibom.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) recounted how Akpabio sexually harassed her in December 2024, a day before their birthdays as they are birthday mates.
“It all started the day before his birthday and my birthday because we are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom. At first, we were in his house at Ikot Ekpene. Then we all went to his house in Uyo, then he held my hands, walking around from room to room, he showed me the beautiful interiors. He got to this particular sitting room and asked me if I liked his house. I said of course, Sir, every room is beautiful, quality taste. He said, now you are a senator, I am going to create time for us to come create quality moments here. You will enjoy it.’ At that point, I just pulled away because I didn’t understand what he meant.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan said her husband later warned her against travelling alone or visiting the Senate President’s residence.
She also claimed that Akpabio obstructed her motion for an investigation into corruption at the Ajaokuta Steel Company, delaying its approval on multiple occasions.
“I listed that motion five times. It was the sixth time that it got approved. Anytime the motion is listed, just before he takes it, he will say, ‘Oh, Senator Natasha, we can’t take this motion because the book of the Senate does not accommodate it,’ or he will speak on others and just let it drag,” she alleged.
According to her, when she confronted Akpabio about the delays, he responded “Natasha, I am the chief presiding officer. You can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me and make me happy.”
She said she refused to acknowledge the statement, but he replied, “The ball is in your court.”
Recall that last Thursday, Akpabio ordered sergeants-at-arms to remove her from the chamber after she resisted relocating to a new seat assigned to her following the defection of two opposition senators to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Citing Orders 24 and 6, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno asserted that it was within the Senate President’s authority to reassign seats and that a senator could only speak from their designated position. But Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that her privileges had been breached, attempted to raise a point under Order 10, leading to a heated session in the chamber.
However, the allegation of Senator Natasha has set tongues wagging and the internet buzzing.
Most of the female respondents to the allegations took side with Senator Natasha. Some recalled how a former Acting MD of the NDDC, Joy Nunieh, alleged how Akpabio sexually harassed her, prompting her to slap Akpabio who was them minister of Niger Delta Affairs and supervising minister of the NDDC.
Some other respondents urged caution, asking that senior senators and elder statesmen should step in to arrest the tussle before it snowballs into a major political conflagration.
