Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of victimiSing and denying her privileges for rejecting his alleged inappropriate advances.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Friday, Akpoti claimed Akpabio made unwelcome remarks and gestures toward her, particularly during a visit to his home in Akwa Ibom in December 2023.
According to her, the incident occurred a day before their birthdays. She alleged that while showing her around his house, Akpabio suggested they could “create quality moments” together, a remark she found unsettling.
“It all started the day before his birthday and my birthday because we are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom. At first, we were in his house at Ikot Ekpene. Then we all went to his house in Uyo, then he held my hands, walking around from room to room, he showed me the beautiful interiors. He got to this particular sitting room and asked me if I liked his house.
“I said of course, Sir, every room is beautiful, beautiful taste. And he said, ‘Now you are a senator, I am going to create time for us to come create quality moments here. You will enjoy it.’ At that point, I just pulled away because I didn’t understand what he meant,” she said.
She further claimed that after rejecting his advances, the Senate President deliberately blocked her motion on the investigation of anti-corruption practices at Ajaokuta Steel Company, despite several attempts to present it.
“I went to his office to ask why my motion on Ajaokuta Steel was repeatedly stepped down. He said, ‘Natasha, I’m the Chief Presiding Officer of the Senate. You can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me and make me happy.’ At that point, I pretended I didn’t hear that,” she alleged.
Akpoti also accused Akpabio of attempting to silence her when she raised a procedural point under Order 10 during a recent Senate session.
She said instead of allowing her to speak, he ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove her from the chamber and threatened her with suspension.
“The Senate President has the right to allocate seats, and senators should adhere, but for a senator to invoke Order 10, it means their privileges have been trampled upon, and that can be raised anywhere at any time.
“So, once a senator shouts Order 10, even if they are being dragged on the floor, they are supposed to be heard.
“Once I raised Order 10, the Senate President ought to have allowed me to speak. He could have used his discretion to move that complaint to the Ethics and Privileges Committee or overrule it, but he failed to do that. Instead, he ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove me from the chambers and prepare for my suspension,” she said.
She likened her experience to that of a student being failed by a lecturer for refusing to yield to inappropriate demands.
Akpabio has not publicly responded to these allegations, which have since sparked discussions online.
