Former vice president for the World Bank’s Africa region Oby Ezekwesili has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step aside pending an investigation into sexual harassment allegations made against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, accused Akpabio of inappropriate conduct following a disagreement over seating arrangements in the Senate.
The senator was later referred to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review and subsequently suspended for six months.
In a statement on Monday, Ezekwesili demanded that Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin oversee a session to conduct an independent and expedited investigation into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims. She also urged the Senate to reverse the suspension and retract all punitive measures against the senator.
“The Senate President should step aside, and the Deputy Senate President should immediately convene a session to rescind the unconstitutional and illegal suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan,” Ezekwesili wrote on X. “She should resume her duties as a duly elected senator while receiving a fair hearing within Senate processes.”
Ezekwesili called for a prompt, independent investigation into the allegations, suggesting that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) handle the case under its mandate to investigate sexual harassment as a corrupt practice.
She also proposed restructuring the Senate’s ethics committee and appointing a new chairperson to oversee a public hearing on the petition. According to her, the committee should receive recommendations from an ICPC-appointed investigator and gather oral and written testimonies from both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio.
Ezekwesili advised that the findings be forwarded to the attorney-general of the federation for necessary action.
She further suggested that the Senate and House of Representatives collaborate with women’s rights groups, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the police to review existing laws and policies on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
She emphasized the need to identify barriers, address gaps and implement an action plan to strengthen protections for women in both public and private spaces.
