March 06, (THEWILL) – Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has resubmitted a petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging sexual harassment.
The petition was presented during plenary on Thursday, just a day after the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions dismissed an earlier submission, ruling it “invalid and dead on arrival.”
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), had faulted Natasha for personally signing the petition rather than having it endorsed by another individual.
In response, the Kogi lawmaker refiled the complaint on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu.
In a swift reaction, Senate President Akpabio referred the petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, directing it to conduct a legislative review and report back within four weeks.
THEWILL recalls that on February 20, a heated exchange erupted between Natasha and Akpabio over changes to the Senate seating arrangement.
The dispute led to a tense moment on the Senate floor, during which Natasha alleged that Akpabio had persistently made sexual advances toward her.
According to Natasha, Akpabio’s perceived hostility toward her stems from her refusal to entertain his alleged advances.
“My refusal to yield to his consistent advances, both within and outside the country, is the reason behind the victimization I face in the Senate. It all started on December 8, 2023, a day before both of our birthdays—we are birthday mates,” she claimed.
However, Akpabio has strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as baseless.
“At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised by my late single mother and have always upheld respect for women. In fact, I was once awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria,” he stated.
The Senate President further noted that he had been receiving calls regarding the matter since February 25 and was aware of the social media discussions surrounding the allegations. He urged Nigerians and the media to refrain from drawing conclusions, emphasizing the need to wait for the court’s decision.
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