Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the PDP, Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, blaming her travails on her refusal to accept his advances.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE TV on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she had concrete evidence to support her allegations and disclosed that her husband was a witness.
The controversy between the two senators began after Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered that her seat in the Senate chamber had been reassigned without her consent. The dispute escalated, leading to a heated exchange with Akpabio and her subsequent referral to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. The committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun of Edo South, has been given two weeks to investigate the matter and report back to the Senate.
Amid the ongoing dispute, Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a N100.3 billion fundamental human rights lawsuit against Akpabio.
Detailing her allegations, the senator recounted that her issues with Akpabio began on December 8, 2023, when she and her husband attended the Senate President’s birthday celebration in Akwa Ibom.
“Akpabio was showing me around his house, holding my hands, while my husband followed behind us,” she said.
“Then he told me he wanted me to spend special moments in his house. My husband heard him and later warned me not to travel alone or be with him in private.”
The Senate has defended its disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan, emphasizing the need to uphold parliamentary decorum. However, the senator insists that she is being targeted for rejecting Akpabio’s advances.
The Senate President has yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
