Akpoti-Uduaghan caused trauma in Senate with sexual assault allegation – Akpabio

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said on Saturday that the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, caused trauma in the Red Chamber with her sexual assault allegation.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months on Thursday over flagrant disobedience to Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).

The Senate had since come under criticism from Nigerians over the lawmaker’s suspension.

Akpabio, who spoke at an event to mark the International Women’s Day, said the sexual assault claim was false.

The Senate president said he was merely Akpoti-Uduaghan’s latest victim, saying previous allegations by the lawmaker had turned out to be false.

He said: “It is only yesterday that I realised that what we are talking about only happened when there was a change of seat. That is when hell was let loose, and all sorts of allegations came up, only after the change of seat and change of committee, which my Senators know to happen from time to time.

READ ALSO: Senate clarifies Akpoti-Uduaghan not suspended over sexual harassment allegation

“This is said to have happened on December 8, a day before my birthday, which was celebrated in the Stadium in 2023. So from the 8th of December 2023, I never heard, my wife never heard, no Nigerian ever heard, even the husband never heard any issue of sexual harassment until her committee was changed and then her seat was changed.

“Have you ever wondered about the trauma caused by that same woman on the other people she has accused in the past? None has been proven so far. Do you even wonder about the trauma this caused to the 10th Senate and the image of the Senate with all these useless allegations? I have refrained myself from making a statement.

“Look at these beautiful women. They have come across me so many times. Have I ever harassed any one of you? Or is the person thinking that you are not beautiful?”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now