I was raised by single mother, I never harassed Senator Natasha – Akpabio breaks silence

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Speaking at the resumption of plenary on Wednesday, following a week-long recess, Akpabio dismissed the claims, stating, “At no time did I ever harass any woman. I was raised very well by my late single mother, and I have always upheld respect for women. I was even awarded the most gender-friendly governor in Nigeria.”

He acknowledged that he had been inundated with calls since February 25 regarding the matter and was aware of the growing discourse on social media. He urged Nigerians, the media, and online commentators to refrain from making premature judgments and instead await the court’s decision.

However, moments after his remarks, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan invoked Order 40 to formally submit a petition, accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office. She requested permission to present the petition before the chamber.

In response, the Senate referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, directing it to review the matter as soon as possible.

The controversy traces back to February when a dispute over seat arrangements in the Senate escalated into a confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio. The tensions surrounding the incident have since evolved into allegations of sexual harassment, raising concerns about conduct and decorum within the legislative body.