“Have You Ever Wondered About the Trauma?” – Akpabio on Natasha’s Allegations

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed deep distress over the sexual harassment allegations made against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, stating that the accusations have caused trauma for both himself and the Senate.

Speaking at an event marking International Women’s Day, Akpabio questioned the timing of the allegations, which surfaced only after Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to a different Senate committee and had her seat changed. He noted that there had been no prior mention of the alleged incident—said to have occurred in December 2023—until after these adjustments were made.

“This is said to have happened on December 8, a day before my birthday, which was celebrated in a stadium in 2023. From that day, 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,” Akpabio said.

He went on to criticize what he described as false accusations damaging the reputation of the 10th Senate. “Have you ever wondered about the trauma caused by that same woman on the other people she had 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?”

The Senate recently suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, citing violations of Senate rules rather than the harassment allegations. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele issued a statement clarifying that her suspension was based on disorderly conduct, defying the presiding officer, and failing to comply with a Senate Ethics Committee investigation. He condemned what he called a misinformation campaign attempting to politicize the disciplinary action.

Meanwhile, opposition Senator Seriake Dickson visited Akpoti-Uduaghan at her Abuja residence, stating that he was not present at the meeting where her suspension was decided. He pledged to work towards a resolution between both parties.

The controversy continues to generate debate, with the National Youth Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissing the allegations as a distraction from the Senate’s legislative duties. As reactions pour in, calls for due process and transparency in handling the matter persist.