The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has accused Nigeria’s Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment in the Red Chamber. 

Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan said this in an interview Friday on ARISE TV.

“In February, I wanted to move a motion for the investigation of anti-corruption practices at Ajaokuta Steel Company. I listed that motion five times, but it was only on the sixth attempt that it was approved,” she stated. “He kept doing that, so I went to his office and said, ‘You know how important the Ajaokuta Steel Company is to me and my people. I’ve noticed that you have repeatedly stepped down this motion.’ He replied, ‘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.’”

Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan added, “At that point, I said I would pretend I didn’t hear that. He then said, ‘The ball is in your court.’ When I got home, I told my husband to speak to the Senate President to allow my motion to go through. You know when a student keeps failing because they refuse to sleep with a lecturer? That is exactly what I have been facing, in simple terms.”

She also accused Mr Akpabio of making sexual advances towards her during a visit to his country home in Akwa Ibom, recounting that the incident took place a day before her birthday. 

“It all started the day before his birthday and my birthday because we are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom,” she said. “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.”

The senator added, “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’.

“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, and the Senate President is allowed to counter that.”

Mr Akpabio could not be immediately reached for comments. 

Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan’s fresh allegation against the former Akwa Ibom governor came after a heated session in the Senate house last week Thursday when the latter ordered sergeants-at-arms to remove the female senator from the chamber. 

The incident started after Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno told Mr Akpabio that Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan had refused to move to a new seat assigned to her. 

Mr Monguno had explained that it was within the Senate president’s discretion to reassign senators’ seats in the Red Chamber. 

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan quickly objected in protest, citing Order 10 of the Senate rules and claiming her privileges had been breached.