By Sunday Ani
A political and civil advocacy pressure group, Action Collective, has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to immediately step down or resign from office, following allegations of sexual harassment that have not only tainted the integrity of the National Assembly but also embarrassed Nigeria before the international community.
The group insisted that Akpabio’s continued occupation of such a high office was undermining the image of the country and sending a wrong signal about the country’s position on issues concerning gender-based violence and accountability.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Teddy Onyejuwe, the group reminded Nigerians and the world that Akpabio’s alleged misconduct did not start with the recent allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
According to the statement, “The character of Senator Akpabio has long been in question. As far back as 2020, Joy Nunieh, the former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), publicly alleged that Akpabio attempted to sexually harass her at his Abuja guest house, an advance she claimed she resisted by slapping him.”
Although Akpabio denied the 2020 allegation and threatened to sue for defamation, Action Collective noteed that the consistency in the nature of accusations over time raises serious red flags about his conduct and fitness for the office he currently occupies.
“In a functional democracy, a public officer with such a controversial record would have stepped aside to allow for an independent and unhindered investigation,” the group noted, adding that Nigeria cannot afford to project leadership perceived to be hostile or disrespectful to women.
The group condemned what it described as a culture of impunity and the Senate’s lukewarm attitude towards addressing the matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.
“We believe in the presumption of innocence, but we also believe in institutional integrity. The Senate President must step aside for the sake of the dignity of the legislative arm and the country at large. His continued presence in that seat is a mockery of justice and a slap in the face of every Nigerian woman,” the statement added.
Action Collective concluded by urging all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations and international human rights bodies to lend their voices to the call for Senator Akpabio to vacate office pending a transparent probe into the allegations.
“If we must build a nation that commands global respect, we must be seen to uphold moral integrity in leadership,” Onyejuwe said.