Kenny Okulogbo, media consultant to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed allegations of sexual harassment leveled against his principal by Kogi Central lawmaker, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Akpoti-Uduaghan made the claims during an interview with Arise Television on Friday, alleging that Akpabio blocked her motions in the Senate because she rejected his advances.
She recounted an encounter at Akpabio’s residence in Uyo on December 8, 2023, where she attended a pre-birthday event with her husband.
According to her, Akpabio led her on a tour of his home and remarked, “Now that you are a Senator, you are going to create time for us to spend quality time here and you will enjoy it.”
She also claimed that when she confronted him about the repeated stepping down of her motion on alleged corruption at Ajaokuta Steel Company, he responded, “Natasha, I am the Chief Presiding Officer of the Senate. You can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me and make me happy.”
She added, “At that point, I told him that I would pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“My case is like that of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further alleged that Akpabio attempted to change her seat in the Senate chamber without prior notice.
She claimed she invoked Order 10, which allows senators to raise concerns over violations of their rights, before Akpabio could announce her suspension.
In response, Okulogbo dismissed the claims, describing them as falsehoods motivated by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s removal as chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
“All that Senator Natasha said are tissues of lies. She is just angry because she was removed as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content,” he told PUNCH.
He added that Akpabio would issue an official response soon.
