BREAKING: Protesters storm UN office in Abuja, demand Natasha provide evidence against Akpabio

Protesters under the banner of Women for Change Vanguard took their demonstration to the United Nations office in Abuja on Friday, demanding proof of the sexual harassment allegations leveled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Kogi lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Chanting solidarity songs and holding banners with inscriptions like “We believe in actual victims of sexual harassment, not people who weaponize it” and “The burden of proof lies with the accuser”, the demonstrators called on Akpoti-Uduaghan to provide credible evidence to support her claims.

The protest came a day after the Kogi Central senator filed a contempt charge against Akpabio and others over her six-month suspension without pay from the Senate.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously raised her case at a United Nations forum, International Parliamentary Union, alleging political victimization. She was suspended on March 6 after a dispute over a new seating arrangement, which she claimed was designed to undermine her. The issue escalated when she accused Akpabio on national television of punishing her for rejecting his alleged sexual advances.

Speaking at the UN office in Abuja, Irene Umoh, leader of the protesting women, said the group decided to petition the UN because Akpoti-Uduaghan was attempting to play the victim on an international stage.

“This is not the first time Senator Natasha has made serious allegations against a prominent figure. False accusations not only harm the accused but also undermine real victims of sexual violence,” she stated.

Umoh insisted that if Akpoti-Uduaghan fails to provide concrete evidence, it could set a dangerous precedent where allegations of sexual harassment become a tool of manipulation against innocent individuals.

The protesters demanded that both Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan be held accountable, stating that the Senate President must be given the opportunity to clear his name while the Kogi senator must substantiate her claims.

Receiving the petition, the UN Senior Human Rights Advisor, Adwoa Kufuor, assured the protesters that their grievances would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities within the organization.