The ongoing crisis in the Senate concerning the reallocation of a seat to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) took a dramatic turn on Friday morning as the senator made a startling allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She accused him of making persistent sexual advances toward her, both in Nigeria and abroad.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show in Abuja, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that Akpabio's hostility toward her stemmed from her refusal to succumb to his advances. She recounted multiple instances where she alleged he made inappropriate comments and gestures toward her.
Alleged Incident at Akpabio’s Residence
The senator detailed a specific incident that occurred on December 18, 2023, at Akpabio’s residence in Akwa Ibom. She claimed that Akpabio attempted to make advances toward her while she was in the presence of her husband.
According to her, Akpabio invited her on a tour of his home, holding her hand as he led her around. She alleged that her husband followed behind them as Akpabio admired the house before making the following remark:
“Now that you’re a senator, I’m going to create time for us to come spend quality moments here. You will enjoy it.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan stated that she immediately pulled away but was unsure whether her husband had overheard the remark. Later that night, her husband questioned her about the interaction, but she initially refrained from disclosing details.
Senate Crisis and Fallout
The lawmaker also addressed the Senate chambers dispute that took place last Thursday, during which she objected to the seating arrangement, citing Order 10 of the Senate Rules. The rule allows senators to speak from their assigned seats or any location when raising matters of privilege.
She lamented that her female colleagues in the Senate failed to support her, with one of them, Senator Ireti Kingibe (FCT), allegedly condemning her for filing a defamatory lawsuit against Akpabio instead of backing her claims.
Furthermore, Akpoti-Uduaghan criticized Akpabio’s past remarks about hosting a nightclub-themed event, alleging that he had previously suggested organizing a gathering where senators could “have fun.”
Corruption Allegations and Political Pressure
Amid the controversy, the senator addressed corruption allegations made against her by a northern youth group that had submitted a petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions. She dismissed the accusations as politically motivated, emphasizing that she had never engaged in corrupt activities.
She further alleged that the Senate leadership had pressured her to back down from challenging Akpabio, warning her that if he “goes down,” she would be implicated as well. She described the situation as an effort to silence her and accused Akpabio’s allies of orchestrating a campaign to tarnish her reputation.
Watch the videos below …
A day before he apologized concerning the ‘night club incident,’ Sen. Bamidele called me in the night in the presence of my husband. Sen. Akpabio called me a few minutes later to tell me what the Dein of Agbor said to him about him being the most hated politician in the country -… pic.twitter.com/dFfTtSCE8P
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) February 28, 2025
Senator Natasha Akpoti accuses Senate President Godswill Akpabio of frustrating her because she rejected his romantic advances. pic.twitter.com/XNGCfgDB7b
— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) February 28, 2025