Ebonyi senator: Natasha Akpoti has history of making sexual harassment claims against prominent figures

Peter Nwaebonyi, deputy chief whip of the senate, says Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has a history of making “reckless and false allegations of sexual harassment against prominent figures”.

Nwaebonyi said the sexual harassment allegations tabled by Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, against Senate President Godswill Akpabio is a desperate attempt to divert attention from legitimate disciplinary proceedings.

The rift between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan began following a recent seat reallocation in the red chamber.

Akpoti-Uduaghan firmly resisted her new seat placement after the rearrangement, claiming the move was intended to stifle her voice.

On February 25, the senate referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review.

The issue came to a head on Friday when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the senate president of attempting to make sexual advances toward her in his office and home.

The allegation triggered responses from prominent Nigerians, including a lawsuit by Ekaette Akpabio, the senate president’s wife, while others demanded an investigation into the claims.

Bukola Saraki, former senate president, who voiced his concern in the controversy, said the senate ethics committee must conduct a transparent probe of the allegations.

Saraki added that “both parties must submit to the investigation, fully cooperate with the committee, and stake their claims before it.”

‘SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED, DIVERSIONARY STUNT’

Reacting to the controversy, Nwaebonyi said Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims were “politically motivated” and aimed at manipulating public sentiment.

He claimed that her allegations surfaced only after she was summoned for disciplinary action, questioning why no prior complaints were made within the senate or to female colleagues.

The lawmaker acknowledged Saraki’s call for transparency and protection but found the comparison between his experience and current allegations against Akpabio “flawed.”

“In Saraki’s case, the matter revolved around his official duties as Senate President— specifically, an accusation concerning the importation of an official vehicle,” Nwaebonyi said.

“The claim was factually incorrect, and Saraki, knowing this, subjected himself to scrutiny to clear his name. It was an administrative and procedural issue directly tied to his office, and a swift resolution through the Senate Ethics Committee restored confidence in the institution.

“In contrast, what we have before us today is a case of personal, unsubstantiated, and conveniently timed accusations— claims of sexual harassment that supposedly took place over a year ago but surfaced only after the accuser was summoned for disciplinary action.

“There was no prior complaint, no record of distress, no mention to her husband, and no disclosure to female colleagues in the Senate.

“Instead, the accusation was unleashed only at the point of reckoning, in a desperate attempt to divert attention from legitimate disciplinary proceedings.

“If we take Saraki’s argument to its logical conclusion, we would be establishing a dangerous precedent—one where any gold digger or habitual liar can throw out an unsubstantiated allegation and expect the Senate to come to a halt while they are entertained.”

The deputy chief whip further described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations as “wild claims, media noise, and no evidence.”

Nwebonyi also questioned why the female lawmaker never addressed the issue in the red chamber and noted that she was appointed chairperson of the senate committee on local content before the alleged harassment.

While reaffirming Saraki’s concerns about senate integrity, Nwebonyi insisted that the institution must not be manipulated by “baseless allegations.”

He asked Akpoti-Uduaghan to pursue legal action if she had legitimate claims rather than using the senate and the media as a “shield against accountability.”

“This case, however, is about a personal vendetta and a desperate attempt to escape disciplinary action — the senate must resist the temptation to legitimize a distraction campaign designed to avoid legitimate scrutiny,” the Ebonyi lawmaker said.

He, however, implored the senate and Nigerians to remain focused and not allow blackmail to dictate the institution’s agenda.