- Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Senate President Akpabio harassed her and obstructed her motion after she rejected his advances
- Akpoti-Uduaghan revealed disturbing encounters with Akpabio, including suggestive remarks and interference with her legislative duties
- Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan recounted a troubling conversation where Akpabio allegedly linked her career advancement to his personal happiness
Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has publicly claimed that she had been unfairly targeted and denied privileges in the Senate after she rejected inappropriate advances from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan made these allegations during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday, February 28.
“I did mention that in the Senate, I have been dehumanised, maligned, and all that, and I believe that this situation was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Many people do not know what I’m about to say, and I’m going to speak my truth while the Senate President is allowed to counter it.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan accuses Akpabio of harassment, obstructing legislative agenda
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio's alleged harassment began with his attempts to engage her in a personal affair. She accused him of obstructing her legislative agenda, particularly blocking her motion on the Ajaokuta Steel Company, in retaliation for her refusal to comply with his demands.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further explained a recent altercation between them, which stemmed from seating arrangements in the Senate chamber. She stated that when she invoked Order 10 in protest of her treatment, the Senate President failed to address her complaint and instead ordered her removal from the chamber.
“The Senate President made a mistake by not allowing me to speak on that Order 10.
“The Senate President has the right to allocate seats, and senators should adhere, but for a senator to invoke Order 10, it means their privileges have been trampled upon, and that can be raised anywhere at any time.
“So, once a senator shouts Order 10, even if they are being dragged on the floor, they are supposed to be heard.
“Once I raised Order 10, the Senate President ought to have allowed me to speak. He could have used his discretion to move that complaint to the Ethics and Privileges Committee or overrule it, but he failed to do that. Instead, he ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove me from the chambers and prepare for my suspension.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan reflects on awkward moment with Akpabio before their birthdays
Reflecting on a series of interactions with Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan revealed troubling details of an encounter that occurred on December 8, 2023, the day before her and Akpabio’s birthdays.
She described an unsettling moment when Akpabio held her hand while giving her a tour of his home, making suggestive remarks about spending time together.
Akpoti-Uduaghan recounted that her husband, who was present, grew concerned after hearing Akpabio’s comments.
“It all started on December 8, 2023, a day before my birthday and his. We were all in Akwa Ibom, and he held my hand, saying he wanted to show me around his house. My husband was walking behind us.
“I noticed that he hastened his pace while still holding my hand, and then he got to a particular sitting room and said, ‘Do you like my house?’ I said, ‘Of course, sir, every room is beautiful.’ He then said, ‘Now that you are a senator, I’m going to create time for us to come and spend quality moments here—you will enjoy it.
“When I turned to look at my husband to see if he had heard that or not, the Senate President also turned and said, ‘Let me show you my chapel as well.
“That evening, we left his house at about 11 PM, and my husband asked what the Senate President told me. I wondered whether I should tell him what the Senate President said about bringing me there to ‘have a good time’ or if I should just let it go because I knew how much my husband adored him.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan reveals Akpabio’s dismissive response to her motion on Ajaokuta Company
She said in February, Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to introduce a motion to investigate corruption at the Ajaokuta Steel Company, but she claimed that each time she raised it, Akpabio blocked her.
On her sixth attempt, the motion was approved, but she said Akpabio had repeatedly told her that the motion was not in the Senate's best interest.
“In February, I wanted to move a motion for the investigation of anti-corruption practices at Ajaokuta Steel Company. I listed that motion five times, but it was only on the sixth attempt that it was approved. Many senators can testify to that. Each time the motion was listed, he would say, ‘Senator Natasha, we can’t take this motion because the good of the Senate does not accommodate it.
“He kept doing that, so I went to his office and said, ‘You know how important the Ajaokuta Steel Company is to me and my people. I’ve noticed that you have repeatedly stepped down this motion.’ He replied, ‘Natasha, I’m 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 said I would pretend I didn’t hear that. He then said, ‘The ball is in your court.’ When I got home, I told my husband to speak to the Senate President to allow my motion to go through.”
Senator accuses Akpabio of exploiting power for personal gain
She also recounted a disturbing conversation where Akpabio allegedly told her that she could advance in her career if she made him happy.
Akpoti-Uduaghan likened her experience to that of a student facing academic failure for refusing to comply with inappropriate demands, further claiming that Akpabio had made similar comments suggesting that they could "have fun" during their travels.
The senator expressed her frustration with the ongoing treatment and vowed to speak out, adding that the situation was a culmination of sustained mistreatment and dehumanisation.
“You know when a student keeps failing because they refuse to sleep with a lecturer? That is exactly what I have been facing, in simple terms.
“Regarding the nightclub incident, I believe that was not a slip of the tongue. He had told me that there are a number of ways we can have fun if we travel.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan sues Godswill Akpabio over defamation
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his aide.
The lawsuit followed a controversial Facebook post suggesting Akpoti-Uduaghan was shallow in her approach to lawmaking.