In a shocking revelation, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment. The allegations were made during a live interview on Arise TV on Friday, February 28, 2025.
The senator claimed that her challenges in the Senate began when she refused to comply with Akpabio’s alleged advances. She recounted an incident in December 2023, when the Senate President showed her around his house in Uyo and suggested they spend “quality time” together.
“He got to a particular sitting room and asked if I liked his house. I responded positively, and then he said, ‘Now that you’re a senator, I am going to create time for us to spend quality moments here. You’ll enjoy it.’ At that point, I pulled away because I didn’t understand what he meant,” she stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged that Akpabio deliberately frustrated her efforts to bring a motion on the revitalization of the Ajaokuta Steel Company to the Senate floor. She claimed that despite listing the motion multiple times, it was repeatedly stepped down until the sixth attempt.
“He kept saying the mood of the Senate did not accommodate it. When I approached him privately to ask why my motion was being blocked, he said, ‘Natasha, I am the Chief Presiding Officer of the Senate. You can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me and make me happy.’ At that point, I chose to ignore the statement,” she recounted.
Drawing a parallel between her experience and the struggles of female students facing harassment from lecturers, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the situation as a systemic issue that must be addressed.
The allegations come amid heightened tensions between the two lawmakers, following a dispute over Senate seating arrangements. Senator Akpabio is yet to respond to the claims.
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