THE allegation of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, yesterday, caused a stir in the polity.
Described by some as national embarrassment that should be probed by some stakeholders, wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio, however took a swipe at Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying that her husband is disciplined.
Calling the Kogi Central, People’s Democratic Party, PDP, senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, a liar, Mrs Akpabio threatened to sue the lawmaker over the allegations.
Natasha, who had a spat with the Senate President over relocation of her seat in the Senate Chamber, had in a television interview on Arise television, yesterday, claimed her issue with Akpabio started on December 8, 2023, when she and her husband attended a pre-birthday invitation extended by the Senate President at his residence in Uyo.
“We had earlier gone to his house at Ikot-Ekpene, and he held my hand and said he wanted to show me around his house. I noticed he hastened his pace while still holding my hand, and he got to this particular sitting room.
“He asked ‘do you like my house?’ and I replied, ‘of course yes,’ and he said, ‘now that you are a Senator, you are going to create time for us to spend quality time here and you will enjoy it’.
“Later, on the floor of the Senate, I attempted to raise a motion regarding corrupt practices at the Ajaokuta Steel Company. I listed this motion five times, and it was only on the sixth occasion that it appeared on the order paper. When I approached the Senate President to inquire as to why my motion had been repeatedly stepped down, he told me, ‘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 told him that I would pretend I didn’t hear that. My case is a case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him.”
It’s a figment of her imagination — Mrs Akpabio
Speaking to Journalists yesterday, Ekaette said that her husband, Senator Godswill Akpabio is a disciplined and jovial man.
Mrs. Akpabio recounted the cordial relationship between her family and Senator Natasha’s family, and dismissed the allegations as a figment of wild imaginations.
She further maintained that the allegations are unfounded, as she was present at her family residence on the alleged date 8th December, 2023. Stating that both families enjoy a long-standing cordial relationship that predates Senator Natasha’s marriage.
Mrs. Akpabio praised her husband’s discipline as a man, who loves and respects his family, cited his track record of supporting women’s inclusion in government even before his emergence as Senate President.
She urged women to desist from peddling such false allegations, and vowed to seek legal redress on the matter.
It’s a national embarrassment —Sagay
Commenting on the issue, former Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, described it as a national embarrassment.
Sagay told Saturday Vanguard: “That is her opinion but it is an embarrassment. It is a very serious embarrassment given the position of Senator Godswill Akpabio in our political setup.
“In developed societies like Western Europe, the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, he would have been asked to step down but have we developed to that level? I don’t know.
“In some states in Nigeria, sexual harassment is now a crime.I don’t know the law in Abuja but I know of some states.
Certainly, this is an embarrassment and we just have to watch how it develops.”
Harassment or intimidation should not be tolerated — Odumakin
In her reaction, the President of Women Arise, Dr Joe Odumakin said the allegations of sexual harassment should be taken seriously.
Odumakin, who is also the President of the Oluyinka Odumakin Foundation, OOF, insisted that a thorough investigation should be conducted to uncover the truth.
She said: “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio is a serious allegation that requires attention and investigation. According to her, the alleged sexual harassment occurred during a visit to Akpabio’s country home in Akwa Ibom, where he reportedly made inappropriate advances towards her.
“This accusation is not the first time Akpabio has faced allegations of sexual harassment. In 2020, Joy Nunieh, former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, claimed she slapped Akpabio for sexually harassing her.
“It’s essential to note that Akpabio has denied these allegations, and some South-South leaders have described the relationship between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan as cordial, dismissing the allegations as ‘wicked and malicious’.
“However, it’s crucial to take allegations of sexual harassment seriously and ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted to uncover the truth. The Nigerian Senate should prioritize creating a safe and respectful environment for all members, and any form of harassment or intimidation should not be tolerated.”
Women group knocks Akpabio
On its part, the Ojo Women Action for Political Actualisation, canvassed support for Senator Natasha
According to the convener, Oluyomi Coker, Akpabio should be reminded that he is a son of a woman, a brother to a woman, a husband to a woman, and possibly a father to a woman, and should therefore be sensitive and just while dealing with the female gender.
Coker called on the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu to rise up and speak against anti-female excesses.
Akpabio-Natasha clash’ll further deter female politicians — FIDA
National President/CVP, International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Eliana Martins in reaction to the shocking development, told Saturday Vanguard that any allegation of sexual harassment is a serious matter which the female Senator would have to prove.
“She is a lawyer, she understands that it’s a serious allegation and I am sure she is prepared for it. I am glad that we understand freedom of expression and definitely, she knows what she is talking about and can handle the matter”.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s submission alluded to her husband speaking to the Senate President in London about a bill she was pushing. Regarding this, Martins excused the action, saying it is merely a means of propagating the female senator’s passion.
“It is a form of lobbying that is not exactly against the law. From the outburst on the floor of the Senate it was clear she had been bottling up a lot and she is now expressing the reason. Perhaps there are better ways of communicating but we are all wired differently. If this is the time for her to speak up, this is the time”.
According to Martins, it is not easy to operate in the male dominated world and lessons must be learned from the imbroglio.
“Definitely, women interested in politics should learn this. We must begin to push the narrative of inclusion and parity and speak up against all forms of sexual discrimination and keep ensuring that the system allows women to stand tall.
The perception in the Senate now that women are weak and should not be allowed to speak should be cleared by the Senate and they should make it clearer that they are not against any gender.
“Importantly, the Senate should clear the air on the allegations of sexual harassment while ensuring the negativity is not allowed. A full investigation should be carried out and since the issues are in court, we will hear full details soon.”
The Convener, Women Alctive in Politics, WAiP, a coalition of women political groups, Efe Anaughe, told Saturday Vanguard that while proof is not necessarily required to make an allegation, having evidence can strengthen the claim and facilitate a thorough investigation. She said the lack of immediate proof does not diminish the importance of addressing the issue.
Natasha didn’t follow Senate Rules —Senator Kingibe
Reacting to Natasha’s claim about the sitting arrangement, Senator Ireti Kingibe, while appearing on Arise TV on Friday, carpeted the Kogi Senator, saying she doesn’t follow the Senate rules.
She said the three other female senators have been silent about the sitting arrangement row because they don’t want to say anything negative about Natasha.
“Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules, and as women, we did not want to come out publicly to say anything negative about her, and we were hoping all of this will blow over, as a lot of things do,” the Labour Party Senator said.
She added: “The Senate is not a place where we are supposed to fight over trivialities like sitting arrangements.”
According to Kingibe, Natasha was not the only lawmaker whose seat was moved. She disclosed that other lawmakers were affected by the sitting reassignment.
“This is about the rules of the Senate. So if I can point out that other women have been moved several times on that day, I wasn’t there, but I gathered that several men were also moved,” she said.
The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs admitted that the Senate is not gender-friendly, but she said the situation has improved.
She said: “The truth of the matter is, yes, the Senate is not gender friendly, but it has been improving much better than when we first entered the Senate, I must say. And the truth of the matter is, when we make a fuss and draw the attention of the Senate president, he corrects it. Truly, the Senate can do better than he’s doing, but there’s hardly anything that’s been done to us that’s not done to other men.”
Kingibe appealed to women, saying, “I want women to know we have to follow the rules of the institution we choose to enter, and that is mostly the point of this visit here.”
The full interview
Natasha opens up on corruption in the Senate
Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uguaghan, in this interview, compared her experience under Senate President Godswill Akpabio to that of a university student who keeps failing because she refused to sleep with a lecturer.
Akpoti-Uguaghan who spoke on the Morning Show, an Arise TV, programme also dismissed allegations of corruption levelled against her by a Northern group.
On allegations by a northern group
I would first say that the allegations are baseless but given that it is hampering my integrity, I am glad to throw some light on it. The first allegation was on the misappropriation of funds and withholding imprest. This account, registered with Sterling Bank, carries the Senate Committee on Local Content and the account number is 0066208209. When I resumed as Chairperson of the committee, the account balance was N0. Gradually, as at the time I handed over to the next chairman, the account had N13 million, six hundred and forty nine thousand, five Naira.
In the first month after my resumption, the clerk of the committee, whose name is listed there and is probably the lady behind this petition, approached me in January and said our payment for the first month had been received.
She told me that every month, every committee in the National Assembly receives N950,000 for operational costs. I asked what the money was supposed to be used for. She said it was for logistics, mail dispatches and refreshments whenever we had meetings.
I said okay so if N950,000 was in the account and we were yet to call for any meeting, we should leave that money there; So, I asked if there was a problem. She said yes, the norm is that if there is no event or happenstance that utilises the money, we were supposed to share the money. She said the money is usually shared and I, as a chairperson, would take a part of it, give some to my deputy and the rest of the money will be shared among the staff of the Local Content Committee. I was like did you say that is what happens? She said yes, that was what my predecessor did and that is what happens in all the committees in the National Assembly.
So I told her that money was meant to service the operations of the committee and it was not meant to enrich my pockets. It was not meant to enrich the pockets of the staff. Therefore, I would not want to collect this so-called imprest; so I would advise that you keep that money in the account and we use it for whatever is needed such as buying office equipment, printing stationeries, which was what we used that money for. The bank statement is here. For those interested in having access to it, I have called the account number, you can check. We gradually built the account. There was a time I approved money last year for the purchase of a printer because it made no sense that we kept on spending so much money printing outside. We bought a printer. We also printed lots of materials but basically, I never took a kobo out of that money in the name of import.
I never gave my deputy, then Senator Ede Dafinone any impression. He can verify and attest to that. And neither did I allow any of the staff to take any money because that was taxpayers money and the money was meant to service the office. It would interest you to know that ever since I left office, the money has been withdrawn by the clerk. About N5 million was withdrawn and two days after my removal, N4.9 million was withdrawn again. As of today, that account that had N13 million has only N123,000.
On harassment of clerk and requests for CVs of staff
Second allegation is that I harassed the clerk and called for the curriculum vitaes, CVs, of the staff. I believe that the Local Content committee was set to oversee the operations of all the IOCs and the national industry players and also strengthen in-country capacity with regard to the oil and gas sector. Such a committee needed the services of lawyers and auditors because we had to look at a whole lot of accounts and how monies had been spent.
How monies that were due to strengthen the educational and training sectors were being spent. Again, the clerk told me we needed to deploy the services of an external consultant and I asked why we had to deploy the services of an external consultant when we have in-house staff. The Committee on Local Content had about 10 or 11 staff at the time.
We should be able to do this job ourselves. I am a lawyer. I can do my own part wherever one needs to refer to the constitution or to the act as it may. I told her that I believe we should have supporting lawyers and we should have auditors and accountants among the staff. Therefore, I asked her for the CVs so that I could look and write to the clerk of the Senate telling him to swap one person because I wanted to have an effective team. And if that is what they call harassment, then so be it.
On how the sitting arrangement issue started
I think it was last Thursday. I walked into the chambers early before sitting. I signed my attendance sheet and I walked straight to my usual seat, which is the last seat by the door. One of the Sergeant-at-Arms told me the seat was no longer mine. He told me that I had been moved to sit at the far end. I asked since when? And I was told that it was the instruction of the Senate President.
Meanwhile, I was in chambers on Wednesday (the day before the incident), and I was not notified about a change of seat. I asked the reason for the seat change and said I was comfortable with my original seat. Because I was not notified, I was upset. So I refused to move to the new seat. I didn’t even know where the new seat was.
I didn’t even know the number. They did tell me that it was the last seat on the far end, but then the senate president walked in. Before then, I was already told that I should gently move. Some senators messaged me that I should please adhere to the change and move to my new seat because that was a trap (change of seat). I was trying to understand (what the senators meant by the seat change was a trap). At that point, the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, walked up to me and told me: ‘Natasha, please just obey.
Just go to that seat.’ But I told him: ‘No sir, you are my leader, you should speak for me. I am not aware that my seat had been changed and I believed that I should be given a chance. They should maybe explain to me why my seat was changed, and I can also explain why they could maybe consider leaving me here, but I am not moving.’ However, he (Abba Moro) pleaded with me to move to the other seat, saying we could address it (issue of seat change) later. I told him: ‘Sir, in this chambers, I have complained and you have witnessed several of my privileges withdrawn, you have witnessed me being maligned several times and you never stood up for me; therefore, no, I am not moving there because I do not trust that if I moved, this matter will be addressed.
I am going to raise it on the floor.’ Then I was told that I had broken the Senate rule by not adhering to my seat change. And that was when the Senate President was about to read the seat allocation. The next thing he was going to do was to read my suspension because I failed to adhere to that (the seat change). At that point, I knew I had to read Order 10, which is an SOS for every senator who feels their rights and privileges have been abridged. Order 10 says any senator may rise at any time to speak upon a matter of privilege suddenly arising and he or she shall be prepared to move without notice , declaring that a contempt or breach of privilege had been committed. I have the right to read the order, even if I am lying on the floor. It does not say that Order 10 should be read from a particular place or from my new seat. The Senate President himself made a mistake by not allowing me to speak on that order 10.
Indeed the Senate President has the right to allocate seats to every senator and the senator may or may not choose to speak from that allocated seat. I was not about to make a debate nor was I about to contribute to a motion. I was reading an SOS, which is a lifeline of any senator. For any senator to have invoked order 10, that means his or privileges were already infringed upon and denied and that can be raised anywhere at any time. Once I raise order 10, the Senate President ought to have allowed me to speak and then he could have, maybe, taken his own discretion to overrule it or move mine or move that complaint to the Ethics and Privileges Committee, but the Senate President failed to do that and instead ordered that the Sergeant-at-Arms move me out of the chambers and prepare for my suspension.
On denial of rights
I did mention my rights in the Senate. I have been dehumanized. I have been maligned and all that. That outburst on the seat change, I believe, was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.
On how it all started
A lot has been going on. Many people do not know what I am about to say, but I am going to speak my own truth and the Senate President is allowed to counter. It all started on December 8, 2023, which was a day before his birthday and my birthday.
We are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom State because he had a big fanfare in the stadium. Myself, my husband and a few of his close friends went to Akwa Ibom. At first, we were at his house in Ikot Ekpene, then we all moved to his house in Uyo, where he held my hand and said he wanted to show me around. My husband was walking behind us and it was just the three of us. He showed me the beautiful interior. Then I noticed that he hastened his pace while still holding my hand. My husband, who was on the phone, was behind us, but he (her husband) was catching up whenever he could. Then he (Akpabio) got to this particular sitting room where he said: ‘Do you like my house?’ I said: ‘Of course, sir. Every room is beautiful, with a nice interior and beautiful taste.’
He said: ‘Now that you are a senator, I am going to create time for us to come spend quality moments here and you will enjoy it.’ At that point, I just pulled away and said I did not understand what exactly that meant. When I turned around, I was beginning to wonder if my husband heard that part (the conversation). I could also see that the Senate President also had that look (if my husband heard the invitation to treat or not).
Meanwhile, the Senate President said: ‘oh, by the way, let me show you my chapel.’ He has a chapel in his house. While we were going to the chapel, he walked in silence. That evening before we left at about 11 midnight through the Four Points by Sheraton in Ikot Ekpene, my husband asked what the Senate President whispered to me. He said: ‘What was he telling you?’ and I wondered if I should tell him (her husband) that he (Senate President) was speaking about bringing me in here at a special time for us to have a good time or should I just kill it (what the Senate President told her) there, wrap it as if there was nothing because tomorrow (the next day after the incident) was a big day. I know how much my husband adores the Senate President.
He loves him as a brother. My husband would do anything to support him. So, I told my husband nothing. I gave him some words to mask what was said. When we lay in bed, I looked to my right and my husband wrapped his hands around me, saying: ‘I love you and you know you can tell me anything. What did the Senate president tell you?’ Again, I told him: ‘Don’t you believe me? It is nothing, nothing and moreover it is my birthday in a few minutes, let us just be happy.’ After that, my husband told me he didn’t want to see me travel out of the country alone, and I should not go to the Senate President’s house because he has a guest house where many senators go after office to get approvals. And I told him (her husband) no problem. I thought that was going to be the end, but then in February, I wanted to move a motion for an investigation on corrupt practices in the Ajaokuta company, I listed that motion five times.
It was at the sixth time that it was listed that it was approved. Many senators can testify to that. Each time the motion was listed just before he considered it, he would say Senator Natasha, we cannot take this motion because the vote of the Senate did not accommodate it or he would speak on other (motions) and then let it drag so that just before my motion was taken, the time would be well spent. He kept on doing that. I went to him in his office and I said Senate President, you know how important this Ajaokuta Steel Company is, you know how important it is to my people and to Nigerians. I have noticed that you have stepped down this motion. As a matter of fact, a number of senators had told me to go and see him and plead with him to take it. I was like: ‘Sir, please why can’t you take this motion, it’s very important.’ He then said: ‘Natasha, I am the Chief Presiding Officer of the Senate, you can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me’.
At that point, I said: ‘Sir, I will pretend that I didn’t hear this.’ He (Senate President) said: ‘Well, the ball is in your court.’ So, I left his office and when I got home, I told my husband (I didn’t tell my husband what he said about taking care of him) to please speak to the Senate President to allow my motion to go through. I think I also spoke to the Deputy Senate President. I spoke to a number of senators that they should please intervene. I never told them what happened.
My husband met with the Senate President in London and pleaded with him, saying: ‘Let my wife take this motion on Ajaokuta, it is very important to her.’ However, he told my husband that he did not take it because he was protecting me.
At the time my motion was taken, it was the Deputy Senate President who actually took it. Many other incidents happened. You know the situation we see in universities whereby a student is continuously failing just because she has not slept with the lecturer. That’s what I’ve been facing in simple terms. That is what I have been going through.
On the nightclub incident
I believe that (the night club incident) was not a slip of tongue. That was not a slip of tongue. He had told me a number of times there were various ways we could have fun. The statement was like out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. Should I say the early morning hours that he apologised, which was July…, 2024. It was 14 minutes past midnight when my phone rang. The leader of the house Senator Michael Bamidele called me and he said, Senator, how are you? He said if the Senate President goes down in the midst of this rancour, I will go down too. I asked what he meant? Were you calling me to threaten me? I could hear the Senate President’s voice in the background. He said he was just telling me that there were a lot of attacks on the Senate President and if he resigned, I would be held responsible. So I started shouting that he couldn’t call me at midnight to threaten me.
Mind you, I was actually surprised because the leader of the house was somebody I respected greatly. He was a very good friend, he is a very calm person. I believe that as he made those statements, he probably was told to do so. So I dropped the line. The first conversation was just two minutes, thirty three seconds. Then my phone rang again at 26 minutes past midnight that same day. It was the same call on Senator Opeyemi’s line but the Senate President’s voice who called me Princess of the Senate, which is how he calls me casually. He told me he had been attacked, his wife had not slept for days, she had been crying and received a lot of insults all because of me. I told him: ‘Sir, it was not because of me, but you. I didn’t force you to make that statement and I didn’t call for the support I received from Nigerian women. So don’t blame it on me.’
He said: ‘No, I am telling you this because Dein of Agbor spoke with him and said he (Akpabio) was the most hated politician in Nigeria at that point in time, and he was advised to leave Abuja before the protest because if he is caught in the middle of the protest, he could be attacked by Nigerians.’ Mind you, that was a few days to the #EndBadGovernance protests on August 1, 2024. I asked why he (Senate President) was telling me and he said: ‘I was telling you (Natasha) because I find it insulting that the Dein of Agbor would tell me to runway and I am telling you to tell them (Nigerians) that if anybody over the age of 20 approaches me during the protest, I would take that person down. That person should dare me with his life’. At that point I started shouting. He (Senate President) didn’t know that my husband was listening because I had woken my husband up from the first call, and put the phone on speaker.
Many times the Arise News anchors interrupted Natasha and at a time she said that “if you won’t allow me speak I would end it here and conclude this on my facebook page.
Lawyers demand Akpabio’s probe
Legal practitioners, have demanded an urgent probe of the allegation of sexual harassment that was raised against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio by the female lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. John Hayab, has condemned the sexual harassment scandal describing it a ‘show of shame’ and a national disgrace.
In separate interviews with Vanguard, the lawyers, described as weighty and grave, the female lawmaker’s claim that she was being victimised for refusing sexual advances from the Senate President.
Warning that the matter should not be swept under the carpet, the legal practitioners however maintained that the law placed the burden of proof on the Kogi state lawmaker.
According to Chief Chukwuma Nwachukwu, who is an Abuja based human rights lawyer: “It will be in the interest of legislative sanctity for this issue not to be swept under the carpet as is usual in our political theater. Matters of sexual harassment against women is taken very seriously in all civilised climes especially in view of the fact that women are a vulnerable species and deserves to be afforded all available legal and institutional protections. In the instant case, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has made a very grave allegation against the head of the legislative arm of Government in Nigeria, Senator God’s will Akpabio but she has an onerous burden to prove it as we hold it trite in law that he who alleges must prove.
Another lawyer, Mr. Albert Effiong, said: “The allegation by Senator Natasha is a very serious one. It is important for the Federal Government to immediately constitute an independent investigative panel to look into the matter. In doing so, the Senator, who has alleged, must be afforded the opportunity to produce her evidence as required by law. He or she who alleges must prove.
“Since Senator Akpabio is the head of the Senate, it will not be appropriate for the Senate to conduct the probe. However, if the Senate must carry out the investigation, then, Senator Akpabio must temporarily step down to make room for an objective probe. It is elementary law that one cannot be a judge in his own case.
On his part, Mr. Obeta Williams, said: “If indeed the allegation of sexual harassment against the Senate President is true, I believe that Senator Natasha, being a legal practitioner, knows what to do.
Sexual harassment scandal, a show of shame,’ says Northern CAN
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. John Hayab, in his response, emphasised the seriousness of the situation, asserting that the scandal highlights a fundamental moral failure in Nigeria’s leadership. He called on the National Assembly to tackle the issue decisively and with integrity, warning that neglecting it would only exacerbate the crisis. He also stressed the need for gender equality and justice, noting that the incident underscores the challenges women face in male-dominated political spaces.
He said, “This week has been profoundly shameful for Nigeria. Our hallowed chamber, the National Assembly—where laws should be made for the better governance of our country—is now embroiled in serious allegations of harassment. At present, no one can ascertain the veracity of these claims. We must heed the complaints of the woman involved and await the Senate President’s account of the situation. However, regardless of whether the allegations are true or false, it is evident that something is fundamentally wrong with how we conduct ourselves.
“We pride ourselves on our morals, but what message are we sending to our children? What legacy are we leaving for the next generation of Nigerians if this is the kind of discourse emanating from our National Assembly? It is imperative that the Assembly takes decisive action to address this issue. Ignoring it will not make it disappear; instead, it must be confronted honestly, genuinely, and sincerely.
“The role of our representatives should not be to endure harassment or disrespect. If there is to be a struggle, it should be for the defence of citizens’ rights, not the infighting we currently witness. I call upon the Senate President, as the leader of the National Assembly, to demonstrate integrity and maturity in resolving this matter.
“For Senator Natasha, it is regrettable that we find ourselves in this situation, which underscores the urgent need for progress in our fight for gender equality and justice. It is essential to remember that one does not need to physically assault a woman to abuse her; words, actions, and attitudes can inflict harm as well. This is particularly disheartening given that the individual involved is already a senator—a member of our senior political ranks. It is crucial that she navigates this situation with the maturity expected of her role, ensuring that we do not seek to cover up wrongdoing but instead address the matter in a dignified and lawful manner.
More reactions on Natasha- Akpabio feud on social media
Ayo Mairo-Ese said, “This is not the first time we are hearing this sort of accusation of harassment. I’m glad that Natasha has given him the floor to respond because it’s a huge allegation. This is bigger than the senate president sending people to come and speak on his behalf.
He should come out and address this because it’s becoming a bit too much. Here is a headline from July 13, 2020 by the Cable which says, “I slapped Akpabio for sexually harassing me” says ex-NDDC MD’. This is not the first time a high-ranking woman has come out to make such an allegation. It’s still an allegation until proven otherwise.
We often talk about having more women in politics, women’s voices being heard but how can you welcome women into a toxic environment if they feel they would be victimized, sexualized…?”
@new_skyspirit wrote, “I’m a man and I stand with her.”
@StandardAsiaPrivate, “The utmost disrespect is not even minding the presence of her husband nearby. It’s just the audacity! This isn’t his first rodeo.”
@fredaoga6036 wrote, “I stand by Senator Natasha. If the Nigeria system is working, we will not have produced Godwin Akpabio as a Senate president.”
@akpanTv84 wrote, “In a sane society, despite being allegedly accused, the senate president should have stepped aside and resigned as a senator.”
Victor Okorie wrote; “Her boldness and calling for investigation means that she was telling the truth. If Nigeria is America or the United Kingdom, Akpabio is in big trouble. Obviously, you can see everything from Akpabio’s attitudes towards women.
God bless Uko stated; “Natasha is just wasting her time. In Nigeria, leaders especially those favoured by a government don’t resign or get impeached even by such allegations. So, let her learn fast and become mature. After all the guy on top was accused of drugs with illegal means of wealth, what have they done to him.”
Joe King Vibes reacted, “This is the only thing some women use to bring men down. The question here’s does she have the evidence of what she is saying? I know that many people will start accusing Akpabio without seeing any evidence in what Natasha said.”
Joseph Tefa wrote, “But I learnt, Senator Natasha’s husband is a very good friend of the Senate president. How come the senate president developed feelings for his best friend’s wife to the point that her refusal to cooperate will prompt all these allegations? There are so many yet untold stories. Well, Nigerians are watching with keen interest.”
Great view Xto reacted, “Two women have already alleged of his misconduct. If we get more alleged victims he should be removed and a thorough investigation carried out.”
Dan Benjamin wrote, “If you are defending Akpabio, then advise him to sue Natasha for defamation…make evidence full ground na na…He needs to ask Yahaya Bello some questions, so that he can understand the woman called Natasha.”
Mickey Anafi wrote, “Chai fear some Akwa Ibom men even in their old age. Not surprised to be hearing these allegations but las las some of our shameless leaders and their gullible followers will still stand by the accused to defend him.”
Agwu Ugochukwu stated, “If she has evidence, Sen. Akpabio has to be impeached and sanctioned… I just wish she has evidence.”
Darlynton Atlantic wrote, “If this is true, which means Akpabio is guilty of this same allegation during his time in NDDC as minister. When it happened with one woman as her staff then….. Meeennn”
Emmyoubg Orracle stated, “For those uncultured elements supporting allegations without evidence, pray make woman no frame you up one day. This their defensive method of emotional blackmail don cast since the 90’s….. If you claim you were repeatedly asked to bed against your wish, bring evidence, if not such an accuser should be slammed with a lawsuit for assassination of character.”
Salisbury Idris reacted, “Anything can be said because we are unfortunate for having irresponsible people as leaders.”
Bassey Umoren wrote, “Go and bring the evidence(s). Stop this drama and allow us to think of how to solve our personal problems.”
Suleiman Salihu wrote, “This matter should be tightly and thoroughly investigated for a better Nigeria. And if found guilty or innocent a senator must go just like a lecturer or student.”
Isna’il Usman stated, “Though I knew Natasha as a certified lawyer, she will hardly make a bogus claim like this without proper evidence that will serve as a back up to her claim. In this case, we the masses should just forget and focus on daily activities as nothing will happen to Akpabio. Rather they will threaten and force Natasha to retract her claim and apologize. This is Nigeria!”
Ahmed Suleiman wrote, “This man should better resign.”
Ibrahim Bali wrote, “Let him resign honorably and allow for investigation to prove himself guilty or not guilty.”
“Anything you say about Akpabio is true!!!,” George Arinze stated.
KWhite Plug wrote, “It could be true ooo, but if you don’t have evidence to prove your allegation, then you’re in serious trouble ooooo, because these men can do anything to remain in power.”
Amb Dimaniyichie wrote, “Even when Natasha was saying this on television, I was very, very ashamed as if I am the senate President.”
Kabir Mohammed, “I don’t really support Akpabio in any way. But women always use the idea of “rape” or “sexual harassment” as a tool against men especially if they are fighting. I can’t support the allegation nor do I deny it in totality. Only God knows the truth. Only God can reveal a liar and truthful person between Akpabio and Natasha.”
Adams Yakubu wrote “You can see why we are in this situation as a country. May the Almighty take control over this country Nigeria. Aameen.”