By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s Senate President has denied allegations of sexual harassment brought against him by his colleague, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, an opposition senator representing Kogi Central.
“At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria,” Senator Godswill Akpabio said on Wednesday during plenary after a week-long recess.
Akpabio, a former governor of the oil-rich Akwa Ibom State and a former minister of the now-defunct Niger Delta Ministry, said since 25 February, when the allegation was made in a televised interview by Akpoti-Uduaghan, he had been inundated with calls on the matter.
The Senate President, a close ally of President Bola Tinubu, said he was aware of the growing social media discourse over the matter, urging Nigerians, the media, and social media users to refrain from drawing conclusions, instead advising that they should await the court’s decision on the matter.
Shortly after his remarks, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan went ahead to raise a petition before the Senate, accusing the Senate President of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
She requested permission to step forward and formally lay the petition before the chamber, which was granted, and the petition was referred to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct.
An internal rearrangement within the Senate chamber, which saw Akpoti-Uduaghan removed from her earlier seat, had sparked a row between her and the Senate President.
She accused the Senate President of using his office to breach her rights and privileges, including stopping her bills from getting accelerated Senate consideration.
Her female colleagues have downplayed the sexual harassment allegation, instead saying she has received more privileges than the rest of the female senators.
Akpabio, in denying the sexual harassment allegation, further said he was awarded the “most gender-friendly governor” during his tenure as chief executive of Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2015.
Opposition figures and civil society organisations have called for his investigation to maintain the sanctity of the hallowed chamber.
