The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Saturday said the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, traumatised him and the Senate with what he described as her “useless sexual harassment allegations”.
This is just as the Senate Leader, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi, has insisted that the senator representing Kogi Central senatorial district was suspended for gross misconduct, and not because of the sexual harassment allegation she made against Akpabio.
Akpabio and the Senate had come under heavy criticism following the sanction handed out to the female lawmaker, who was suspended for six months by the federal lawmakers.
Speaking at an event to commemorate International Women’s Day (IWD), Akpabio, who maintained his innocence of the sexual harassment allegations against him by the female senator, described himself as her latest victim, saying her previous allegations had also 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.
“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?”
Natasha Suspended for Misconduct, Not Sexual Assault Allegation, Senate Leader Insists
Meanwhile, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi, has insisted that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct, and not because of a sexual harassment allegation she made against Akpabio.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the lawmaker representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District said false narratives were being circulated by certain media organisations on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension.
Bamidele stressed that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate’s Standing Orders 2023, and gross indiscipline.
“The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly rebuts the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan.
“Let it be unequivocally stated that Senator Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended), and gross indiscipline—nothing more, nothing less,” Bamidele explained.
He described the reports suggesting that the female senator’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment as completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts.
“If Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving,” the Senate leader added.
He further said that the Kogi lawmaker’s suspension was a decision of the committee of the whole Senate following the submission of a report by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imaseun, adding that, “the report found her guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate’s Rules and recommended her immediate suspension.
“The disciplinary action was a response to her repeated violations of legislative decorum, including 1. Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on 25th February 2025, despite multiple pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking senators – an act of open defiance and disorderly conduct.
“2. Speaking without being recognised by the presiding officer in clear violation of parliamentary practices and procedures on 25th February 2025.
“3. Engaging in unruly and disruptive behavior, obstructing the orderly conduct of Senate proceedings.
“4. Making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the Senate. 5. Defying and refusing to comply with the summons of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated to investigate cases of misconduct,” Bamidele explained.
