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By Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Pan Niger Delta Elders’ Forum (PANDEF) has accused the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) of politicising the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, suggesting it is part of a broader strategy to undermine Southern Nigeria’s political influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiuwevbi Ominimini, expressed disappointment at the ACF, describing its stance as a political war against the entire people of Southern Nigeria, aimed at inciting Northern Nigeria against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Ominimini emphasised that the South is entitled to produce Nigeria’s next president, following two consecutive northern-led administrations under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The ACF, however, called for a thorough investigation into the allegations, citing concerns over the national and international image of the Senate.
The ACF spokesperson, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said: “The public image of the leadership of the 10th Senate is now less than inspiring.”
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Despite this, PANDEF argued that suspensions and disciplinary measures within the Senate awee common and not regionally biased, pointing to past instances where southern senators faced similar actions without regional outcry.
PANDEF also called for the arrest of the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, alleging that his comments posed a threat to national unity by falsely suggesting an “anti-Arewa agenda” in Nigerian politics. The group described the allegations against Akpabio as a ‘dead on arrival’ political attack and reaffirmed its support for the Senate President, urging him to remain steadfast.
He said: “It is very strange and sad to hear as stated by the ACF National Publicity Secretary that, “ACF rues the development and hopes that it is not part of the thinly-veiled anti-Arewa agenda now pervading the Nigerian political process.
“The question is, where is the anti-Arewa agenda coming from? Is it from Southern Nigeria or within Arewa? PANDEF has, therefore, concluded that this political calculation targeted against the Senate president through this well orchestrated sexual harassment acussation is nothing but a political gimmick to fight back against the South-South geoplolitical zone, the bread winner of Nigeria and the entire Southern Nigeria.
“This political sexual harassment accusation is, therefore, dead on arrival. PANDEF shall, therefore, call for an extra ordinary meeting, without delay, to look deeper into this dance to the gallery by the ACF.
“PANDEF calls on the Senate President to remain resolute and be confident that we his people shall do all good things possible to rally round him in the face of this exposed calculated political attack on his office and person and the Southern Nigeria led presidency. The Senate has its own rules, and ACF cannot dictate to the Senate on how to conduct its business.”
