Sexual Harassment: Calls For Akpabio’s Removal, Investigation Heightens
The Peoples Democratic Party, New Nigeria People’s Party, and the Obidient Movement of the Labour Party on Sunday called on the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to immediately step down from his seat to give room for a transparent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations levied against him by the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The parties urged Akpabio to respect the Senate by stepping aside to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegation against him.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an interview last week, linked her recent face-off with Akpabio on the floor of the Senate to her refusal to yield to alleged sexual advances from Akpabio.
The Kogi lawmaker in the interview, accused Akapbio of turning against her because she declined to yield to his sexual advances.
She explained, “My issue with Akpabio started on December 8, 2023, when myself (sic) and my husband visited Akwa Ibom for Senator Akpabio’s birthday.
“Akpabio was showing me around his house and was holding my hands with my husband following behind us when he said he wanted me to come and spend special moments in his house. My husband heard him and later told me not to travel abroad alone or be with the Senate President alone. My case is a case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him.”
While the Senate President has yet to respond to the allegation, his wife, Ekaette, denounced the Kogi senator and filed a defamation lawsuit against Natasha.
In response, Natasha’s husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan-Akpoti, expressed support for his wife, revealing that despite his intervention, Akpabio had continued to harass her.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in an interview on Sunday, described the scandal in the Senate as an embarrassment, noting that important issues requiring the Red Chamber’s attention were being overlooked.
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He said, “We do believe that when you are accusing Senator Akpabio of this, it would be appropriate for the Senate President to step aside for now to allow for a proper investigation. Senator Akpabio should step aside and allow for the investigation because he cannot be a judge in his own case.
“We, as a party, believe that women should have their rights and that discrimination against anybody, particularly women, based on being a woman, is unacceptable and unconstitutional.”
According to the publicity scribe, there is a need for the Senate, as a revered institution, to look itself in the mirror, do the right thing, and save the country from unnecessary embarrassment.
“We do know that the Senate itself would have a duty to look into these issues and those allegations and deal with them appropriately. But beyond all of that, I think it’s an embarrassment for this nation. There are big problems. There are bigger issues. There are bigger issues for the Senate to deal with.
“The Senate President ought to be challenged by those problems in the country. Indeed, the issues raised are very concerning, particularly when it comes to those allegations; they need to be investigated.
“We do know that the Senate has a process for looking into such matters because, again, this has reached a level where it’s embarrassing for the nation. But it just goes to show you the level of issues within the All Progressives Congress and the structures and the leaders in the APC.
“We would have expected that even the Senate by now should have acted in such a way as to address that unnecessary distraction from these real matters of state. Senator Akpabio has a duty to himself, to the country, and to the institution of the Senate to ensure that the truth comes out. And if indeed he wants a clear and genuine investigation, then an investigation into the matter should be carried out,” Ologunagba added.
Similarly, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), National Publicity Secretary Oladipo Johnson also endorsed the demand for an unbiased probe into the sexual harassment case.
According to Johnson, “When you have something like this, it is normal to have him temporarily step aside for the sake of transparency and to have the matter properly investigated by an independent investigator.”
Similarly, a chieftain of the Labour Party and the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, reinforced the call for a credible investigation of the allegation.
“It is about the integrity of the Senate and the man presiding the office in question. The office must be protected. That is my major concern. I don’t have anything personal against Akpabio.
“It will be disappointing if the matter is allowed to die like that. We want people to come clean on the state of things. He must also be allowed to defend himself against the allegation,” he stated.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
