By Abigail Philip David
The Kogi Consultative Assembly has called on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to apologize to Senate President Godswill Akpabio over her allegations of sexual advances and other grievances she raised against him.
The Assembly, comprising past and present political leaders from Kogi State, urged the senator to take the honorable path by offering an apology and de-escalating the conflict with the Senate leadership.
The controversy began when Akpoti-Uduaghan confronted Akpabio over a change in her seating arrangement in the Senate. As tensions escalated, she accused the Senate President of making inappropriate advances toward her.
In a statement, Hon. Kabiru Mohammed, the Assembly’s convener, advised Akpoti-Uduaghan to take responsibility for her actions, cautioning against behaviors that could damage her political image and rising profile.
“After thoroughly reviewing the situation involving our dear daughter, mother, wife, and sister, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the Senate President, we found that she was in the wrong. As such, we believe it would be proper for her to apologize and bring the matter to a close as an experienced politician,” Mohammed stated.
He added that as a new senator, she might have acted out of ignorance or oversight, but it was important to respect Senate rules.
“The Senate President acted within his constitutional duties, and her reaction was unnecessary. It is not patriotic for a lawmaker of her standing to flout Senate Standing Rules and attempt to shift blame,” he added.
Mohammed also condemned what he described as an attempt to blackmail Akpabio, arguing that if there were genuine grounds for a sexual harassment claim, it should have been reported immediately, rather than surfacing amid the current dispute.
“If such an incident truly occurred, she should have reported it at the time. Raising it now, following a reprimand for her conduct in the Senate, appears unjustified,” he said.
While expressing their continued support for Akpoti-Uduaghan as a strong political representative, the group insisted that an apology would be the best way to resolve the situation.
“An apology will help clear the controversy and reaffirm her as a true democrat and patriot within Nigeria’s political landscape,” the statement concluded.
