By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s Senate President, who is facing an allegation of sexual misconduct, will lead the country’s delegation to Vatican City for the burial of the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, on Saturday, a statement from the presidency said on Friday.
Godswill Akpabio, a former governor of oil-rich Akwa Ibom State in South-South Nigeria, is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, victimisation, and abuse of office.
An opposition member of the Senate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, had in February accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her, an encounter she said took place in 2023 during a visit by Senators to the Senate President’s residence in Uyo. Akpabio has denied the allegation.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has also made a series of further allegations since the alleged misconduct, including claims that threatened the reputation of the Nigerian Senate, such as an alleged plot by Akpabio and others to assassinate her.
Despite these grave allegations, the Nigerian presidency has announced Akpabio as the leader of the delegation representing the country at the revered St Peter’s Square, where the funeral will be held for the burial of the 88-year-old leader of over 2 billion Catholics worldwide.
The Senate President will lead a five-member delegation to the funeral, where he will formally deliver a letter to the acting head of the Vatican, conveying the presidency’s condolences, according to a statement on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy.
Other members of the delegation include Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Matthew Hassan Kukah, Archbishop of the Sokoto Diocese; and Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of the Abuja Diocese.
On Monday, President Tinubu joined African leaders in mourning the late Pope.
“Pope Francis was a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions,” Tinubu said.
The Pope was a strong advocate for the poor. In 2023, he visited South Sudan on a “pilgrimage of peace”, along with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland.
He made impassioned pleas for peace and forgiveness, urging an end to the conflict and emphasising the importance of dialogue and cooperation.
