By Chidiebere Onyemaizu
With no sign of abating, the rapidly changing scenes of the Senators Natasha Akpoti- Uduagha and Godswill Akpabio feud, last week, assumed new and more controversial twists.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents in Kogi Central Senatorial District are now allegedly launching a recall bid on the grounds that she has attracted to them national and international embarrassment.
However, in a swift reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party that sponsored Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Senate, has dismissed the recall move as fake and an exercise in futility. Equally, the Kogi senator last week secured a court injunction barring the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving from anyone or a group a recall petition against her.
But Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the Senate, has made more explicit sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Senator Akpabio. In an interview with Sky News UK and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), last week, she gave a graphic narration of how Senator Akpobio allegedly made inappropriate and suggestive remarks and gestures towards her in the presence of other senators.
The Nigerian Senate, apparently not wanting to be distracted or bogged down by the tantrums, has since shrugged off the heat generated by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six months suspension from the Senate and her far- reaching accusations against its President, Senator Akpabio, with a vote of confidence.
Daily Sun has been informed that the vote of confidence was a masterstroke by Akpabio’s loyalists aimed at pre-empting moves by some senators across party lines, allegedly mostly from the North, to latch on to the Natasha saga to effect regime change in the Senate. It was gathered that the said senators are not happy with the way the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (LP), representing Edo South Senatorial District, rushed an investigation into the Natasha saga and came out with a recommendation to suspend her. It has been alleged that not all 14 members of the committee signed the recommendation.
Besides that, it was also learnt that some senators are miffed that Akpabio was a judge in his own case, a situation they insist was morally wrong.
“He ought to have temporarily stepped aside from his position as Senate President and allow his Deputy to preside while the Natasha case was being debated. It was morally wrong for an accused to be a judge in his own case,” one of the senators who craved anonymity told Daily Sun.
However, Hon. Eseme Eyibo, Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, has dismissed the alleged impeachment plot. He told Daily Sun that his principal’s seat was not threatened by the raging Natasha debacle. He maintained that, rather than diminish the Senate President, the Natasha case is attracting a groundswell of support for him.
Citing Bukola Saraki’s Code Conduct Tribunal case when he was the Senate President, Eyibo pooh-poohed suggestions that his principal was a judge in his own case and ought to have temporarily stepped aside to allow a neutral person preside over plenary when the Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan case was tabled.
Eyibo: “No northern senator is prodding Senator Natasha. She’s walking alone in all of this. The Senate President’s position is rather strengthened by the overwhelming support and solidarity through the Vote of Confidence passed on him and his leadership in the plenary of March 13, 2025.
“The Senate President and his Deputy are presiding officers created by Section 50(1) of our 1999 Constitution as amended. The case of Senator Natasha was a duly processed disciplinary action in consequence of the breached of the Standing Order. There was no case before the Senate against Senator Akpabio.
“Why was Senator Saraki still coming from the accused dock in the Code of Conduct Tribunal to preside over the Senate without stepping down? What about the Offa Robbery incident where the sitting Senate President was alleged to be culpable? There are no such calls for the Senate President to step aside, rather the Senate President is receiving accolades for leading a robust and bipartisan Senate. The harassment allegation was a fluke lacking in substance and evidence,” he said.
The Senate’s journey into storms began on February 20, 2025, after Senator Natasha’s seat was changed during plenary. Her attempt to raise the issue at the plenary failed as she was ruled out of Order by the Senate President, a situation that didn’t go down well with her, prompting an altercation between the two.
Days later, in an interview with Arise TV, the Kogi State- born Senator accused Senator Akpabio of sexual harassment during a visit to his Uyo, Akwa Ibom country home in company with her husband on December 8, 2023.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan followed up her accusation with a petition to the Senate against the Senate President.
The February 20 spat between the Senate President and Senator Akpoti- Uduaghan was the second time both Senators had clashed on the floor of the Senate. July last year, Akpabio had, while attempting to call her to order over an alleged misconduct- her disregard to Senate rules- told her that the Senate was not a nightclub where anybody can talk anyhow. The remark generated national uproar, especially among Nigerian women and women groups prompting the Senate President to later issue an apology to her.
The Senate is meanwhile insisting that the six months suspension it slammed on Senator Uduaghan- Akpoti was for misconduct and not because of the sexual harassment accusation.
Senator Akpabio on his part has denied Senator Akpoti-Udughan’s accusation, saying “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,” Akpabio said.
Meanwhile, Daily Sun gathered that Senator Uduaghan- Akpoti, born of a Ukrainian mother and a Nigerian father, may have opted for a titanic battle to quash her suspension which she described as “injustice”.
“This injustice cannot stand, I will fight it”, the embattled Senator had thundered minutes after the Senate voted to suspend her.
Penultimate week, the suspended Senator made good her vow to fight “this injustice” when she laid a complaint at the United Nations Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU), in New York, the United States. Insisting that an injustice was meted out on her by the Nigerian Senate, Senator Akpoti- Uduaghan pleaded with the international body to intervene. The IPU assured her it would hear the other side and then address her complaint.
The “other side”- the Nigerian Senate- was however swift in stating it case before the IPU. In a letter to the international parliamentary body read by the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Honourable Kafilat Ogbara, who was also attending the event in an official capacity as Nigeria’s representative, debunked Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations.
The Senate letter to IPU read in part, “Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegation of sexual harassment or assault. The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly refutes the deliberate misinformation and false narrative being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the sixth months suspension of Senator Natsaha-Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“Let it be unequivocally stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders.”
Meanwhile, a plethora of groups have been springing up weighing in on the Akpabio- Natasha tango. One of such groups, The Women for Change Vanguard, is calling for a comprehensive scrutiny of her sexual harassment allegation against Senator Akpabio. This was contained in a press statement issued by the President of the group, Arc (Mrs) Margaret Adesuwa Ehilebo.
“We stand at a critical juncture in our fight against sexual harassment and misconduct. The recent claims made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senator Akpabio raise serious concerns that warrant scrutiny.
“If Senator Natasha claims to have been a victim of sexual harassment, we urge her to come forward with credible evidence to support her accusations. The gravity of such claims necessitates accountability.
“This is not the first time Senator Natasha has made serious allegations against a prominent figure. Such actions risk becoming a weapon against men in power, ultimately undermining the fight against sexual violence,” Mrs Ehilebo saud.
Another women group, The Nigerian Women Crusade for Good Governance on its part, outrightly lampooned Senator Akpoti- Uduaghan, describing her actions in the Senate chamber as “gross misconduct.”
At a press conference in Abuja, the group’s National Coordinator, Dr. Cecilia Ikechukwu tendered an apology to Senator Akpabio on behalf of Nigerian women, lamenting that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s behaviour was capable of undermining the long-standing fight for women’s inclusion in governance.
“Women have fought tirelessly for representation, proving their competence and capability. However, Senator Natasha’s actions cast a shadow over this collective effort,” Ikechukwu stated.
The group accused the senator of engaging in a pattern of reckless behaviour, which they claim has tarnished the reputation of female politicians.
A political analyst, Dr. Macdonald Ifemere, is concerned that the Natasha issue is assuming an embarrassing dimension and has therefore, urged the Senate to quickly resolve the debacle to save its sanctity and integrity from ridicule.
“I’m not dwelling on whether Senator Natasha was right or wrong or whether or not her sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President is true, my concern is the negative image and bad press the entire matter is giving to the Senate nay Nigeria.
“Of course, the image that is taking a direct heat is not that of Senators Akpabio or Natasha, the image that is suffering as a result of this debacle is Nigeria’s and that of the Senate; it is dangerous to allow this matter to fester. Hope you are aware that the matter has now been internationalised via Senator Natasha’s presentation at the IPU. This is not good for the image of our country.
“Whether we like it or not, sympathy will always gravitate towards the under-dog- whether or not such underdog is the guilty party- and in this case, Senator Natasha is the underdog. I appeal to the Senate and specifically the Senate President to find a way to resolve this matter”, Dr. Ifemere told Daily Sun.