Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
On Wednesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the Senate chamber accompanied by her husband. In a brief but affectionate moment, she shared a kiss with him before proceeding to take her seat.
After settling into her newly assigned position, she deviated from Senate tradition by refusing to stand upon Akpabio’s arrival to commence plenary, breaking the customary display of respect for the presiding officer.
Speaking at the resumption of plenary after a week-long recess, Akpabio dismissed the claims, 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.”
The Senate President acknowledged the public attention the allegation had generated, stating that he had been inundated with calls since February 25.
He urged Nigerians, the media and social media users to refrain from making conclusions and instead allow the court to determine the matter.
However, immediately after his remarks, Akpoti-Uduaghan raised a petition under Order 40, formally accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
She requested permission to present her petition before the Senate chamber.
The Senate subsequently referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct for review.
The controversy between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio began in February when a dispute over a seat reassignment escalated into a confrontation.
The incident has since heightened tensions within the Senate and fueled concerns about conduct within the legislative body.
