Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, on Friday accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment in an interview on Arise TV.
Natasha, who had a spat with the Senate President over relocation of her seat in the Senate Chamber claimed her issue with Akpabio started on December 8, 2023, when she and her husband attended a pre-birthday invitation extended by the Senate President at his residence in Uyo.
“We had earlier gone to his house at Ikot-Ekpene, and he held my hand and said he wanted to show me around his house. I noticed he hastened his pace while still holding my hand, and he got to this particular sitting room.
“He asked ‘do you like my house?’ and I replied, ‘of course yes,’ and he said, ‘now that you are a Senator, you are going to create time for us to spend quality time here and you will enjoy it’.
“Later, on the floor of the Senate, I attempted to raise a motion regarding corrupt practices at the Ajaokuta Steel Company. I listed this motion five times, and it was only on the sixth occasion that it appeared on the order paper.
“When I approached the Senate President to inquire as to why my motion had been repeatedly stepped down, he told me, ‘Natasha, I am 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 told him that I would pretend I didn’t hear that. My case is a case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him.”
It’s a figment of her imagination — Mrs Akpabio
Ekaette, Akpabio’s wife, has now filed multiple lawsuits against Akpoti-Uduaghan, alleging defamation and demanding N250 billion in damages.
Speaking to journalists yesterday, Ekaette said that her husband, Senator Godswill Akpabio is a disciplined and jovial man.
Mrs. Akpabio recounted the cordial relationship between her family and Senator Natasha’s family, and dismissed the allegations as a figment of wild imaginations.
She further maintained that the allegations are unfounded, as she was present at her family residence on the alleged date 8th December, 2023. Stating that both families enjoy a long-standing cordial relationship that predates Senator Natasha’s marriage.
Natasha-Reno’s saga in 2014
This is not the first time the Kogi Senator has made sexual allegations against prominent men in Nigeira.
In 2014, Akpoti-Uduaghan made similar allegation against Reno Omokri, who was then an aide to President Goodluck Jonathan.
On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Akpoti-Uduaghan posted on her Facebook wall that the former presidential spokesman sexually harassed her on May 6, 2014 during a state banquet for then Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.
In response, Omokri announced a $50,000 reward for anyone who could provide a photograph or video of him at the Uhuru Kenyatta banquet.
Omokri thereafter published proof that he was not in the country during the event.
Reno defends sexual allegation
Reno defends sexual allegation made by Sen Natasha
He provided a British Airways ticket as well as Nigerian and American immigration stamps on his passport.
Omokri said at the time that he was in the US as a personal envoy of Jonathan, who sent him to counter the negative publicity arising from the kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls.
While in the US, Omokri met and was photographed with state department officials. Akpoti thereafter deleted all traces of her accusation from her social media profiles.
Omokri later announced that he had received a large sum of money as part of an out-of-court settlement.
I slapped Apkabio over sexual harrassment – Ex-NDDC boss
Meanwhile, on July 13, 2020, Joy Nunieh, a former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), alleged that she slapped Akpabio for sexually harassing her.
Nunieh made the allegation during an interview on Arise TV.
Akpabio, the incumbent senate president, was minister of Niger Delta affairs at the time.
Nunieh said the incident occurred at Akpabio’s guest house in Abuja.
Akpabio denied the allegation through a statement issued by his media aide.
