Fresh details have emerged regarding a petition filed and submitted to the Senate by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging sexual harassment, abuse of office, and obstruction of legislative duties.
The petition, dated March 4, 2025, and submitted Wednesday before the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against its President, Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the parliament leader of making inappropriate advances towards her during a visit to his residence in Akwa Ibom on December 8, 2023. “On or about the 8th of December 2023, I, in the company of my husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, visited the residence of the Respondent in Akwa Ibom State”, the statement reads.
According to her, despite being accompanied by her husband, the Senate President allegedly made inappropriate remarks and suggested that she should “spend quality moment” with him.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further alleged that in May 2024, Akpabio invited her to his private residence in Abuja under the pretext of discussing legislative matters. During the meeting, he allegedly said, “You know I am the senate President; I will give you whatever you want, all you have to do is make me happy.
“Senator Natasha, you can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me and make me happy, the statement further quoted Akpabio”
Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that her refusal to comply led to her motion for the Ajaokuta Steel Company to be repeatedly removed from the Senate’s Order Paper.
The petition also referenced an incident on the Senate floor where Akpabio allegedly called her a “night club girl.” Though he later apologised, Akpoti-Uduaghan asserted that the remark was part of a broader pattern of intimidation.
Additionally, she accused Akpabio of abusing his office to orchestrate her removal as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
According to her, this action was linked to her push for the establishment of mini-Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects in Ajaokuta, which she claimed Akpabio sought to undermine in favor of projects in the Niger Delta region.
The petition further referenced previous allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, including those made by Dr. Joi Nunieh, the former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in 2020. Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that such behavior should not be condoned and called for a thorough investigation.
The petition also urged the Senate Committee to investigate the allegations and ensure accountability.
Referencing her shouting match with the Senate President during a plenary session on the 20th of February, over seat arrangements, Natasha added, “On this date, the Respondent in a display of malice, refused to allow me to respond to a point of order raised against my conduct, calling on the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove me from the Senate and summarily suspending me”.
Meanwhile, reports on Wednesday that following the submission of the petition by Natasha before the Akpabio-led Senate, the Red Chamber’s Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions dismissed the petition, describing it as “dead on arrival”.
Earlier, Akpabio, during the plenary session, had denied ever abusing any woman, dismissing the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. According to him, “I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women.”
See the full text of the petition below, as reported by Nigerian Tribune.
