News Investigators/ Like a film series, the Nigerian Senate has again found itself entangled by another crisis which largely calls to question the public morality of the lawmakers in the hallowed chamber of the upper legislative house and the integrity of the National Assembly as an institution.
The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had, on Feb. 20, discovered that her seat had been reassigned upon resumption of the senate plenary session.
Refusing to comply with the new seating arrangement, the senator, who joined the senate in October 2023 following his victory at the Court of Appeal, engaged in heated altercation with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Tahir Monguno, the Senate Chief Whip, had, at this point, raised a point of order, referencing sections of the senate rule book to justify the re-assignment of the seat.
Monguno said that the changes had become imperative owing to a shift in the senate’s composition following the movement of some opposition members to the majority wing.
According to the senator, such adjustments fall within the constitutional prerogative of the Senate President, warning that failure to comply with the new seating arrangement could lead to penalties, including being barred from participating in senate discussions.
“Any senator who refuses to comply with a seat re-assignment will not be recognised or allowed to contribute to discussions,” Monguno emphasised, quoting senate rules.
Monguno’s position was upheld by Akpabio, while he ruled in favour of the order.
However, when Akpoti-Uduaghan raised her hand to speak, she was denied recognition for not addressing the chamber from her newly-assigned seat.
This apparently forced the now feasibly enraged senator to engage in direct confrontation with the senate president.
“I don’t care if I am silenced; I am not afraid. You have denied me my privilege.
“Mr Senate President, ever since the night-club incidence, you have deliberately silenced my voice. My bills have not been able to scale through to second reading.
“I am not afraid of being silenced, but I will do so in honour. As a senator duly elected by my people, I chose to remain on this seat, come what may.
“The worst you can do is to suspend me from this sitting and that will not stop me from contributing my quota to my constituency, the senate and Nigeria as a whole,” she said.
Pointing her finger at Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “Mr Senate President, I have taken a lot from you.”
The incident had since set stage for series of drama in the senate, with accusations and counter-accusations among the dramatis personae.
While featuring at an Arise Television programme, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had hitherto threatened to spill the beans, accused Akpabio of deliberately punishing her because of her refusal to accede to Akpabio’s alleged sexual advancement.
In the interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that the senate president made inappropriate advances toward her, both at his office and residence in Akwa Ibom during a visit on Dec. 8, 2023.
She claimed that Akpabio took her by the hand, led her around his house and made sexual advances toward her in the presence of her husband.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further alleged that Akpabio had, on a separate occasion, insinuated that she should “take care of him” if she wanted her motions to receive favourable consideration on the floor of the senate.
Meanwhile, the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, stood in stout defence of the senate president, saying that the sexual harassment allegations against him was politically-motivated and an attempt by Akpoti-Uduaghan to evade disciplinary action.
Nwebonyi, in a statement argued that the female senator’s claims were unsubstantiated and conveniently timed to deflect attention from the ongoing disciplinary process against her.
“If she truly believed she was being victimised because of an alleged sexual harassment incident, the proper forum to raise such a grievance would have been the senate itself, not a television interview.
“The senate is moved by reason and laws, not sentiments and drama,” he said.
The deputy chief whip also pointed out that Akpoti-Uduaghan was appointed as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content in November 2023, before the alleged Akwa-Ibom incident.
“If she had truly been a victim, why would the senate leadership, under the same Akpabio, assign her such a critical leadership role?” the queried.
Nwebonyi said that the senate must not allow itself to be manipulated by baseless allegations, urging Akpoti-Uduaghan to pursue her claims through the appropriate legal channels rather than using the senate as a stage for diversionary theatrics.
He warned that legitimising such claims without any evidence could set a dangerous precedent, where anybody could make false accusations to disrupt senate proceedings.
Also defending Akpabio, his Media Consultant, Kenny Okulogbo, described the allegations as “tissues of lies”.
He said that the Kogi-born lawmaker was angry because of her removal as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
“All that Sen. Natasha said are all tissues of lies. She is just angry because she was removed as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
“The Senate President will respond. We will make an official statement soon,’’ Okulogbo said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was, however, subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by a Labour Party senator from Edo, Neda Imasuen, for disciplinary review.
The committee was given two weeks to submit its report.
The development, which seems to be getting messier by the day, soon involved the spouses of the two dramatis personae, with each attempting to defend his/her better half.
Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the senate president, had headed to court to institute multiple legal actions against Akpabio’s wife sues Natasha Akpoti, demanding N250 billion as damages over accusations of defamation against her husband.
Mrs Akpabio rejected the allegations, asserting that her husband is a disciplined individual, even as she described the senator’s accusations as “lies.”
Seeking redress for what she described as “scandalous and salacious” comments, Ekaette filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
In the suit, she claimed that the accusations had caused her and her children “emotional and psychological abuse.”
She prayed the court to issue a restraining order, preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further “spiteful” statements infringing on her (Ekaette’s) fundamental human rights.
Ekaette contended that the senator’s comments had severely damaged the reputation of herself and her family, bringing them into disrepute and causing harm to their public standing.
She also demanded urged the court to order Akpoti-Uduaghan to publicly apologise, with the apology to be published in two national newspapers.
Akpoti-Uduaghan would, however, have none of that, as she pointedly told Ekaette to refrain from intervening in allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation levelled against her husband and allow him to defend himself.
In a letter dated March 1 and addressed to Mrs Akpabio through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, Akpoti-Uduaghan advised her to stay out of the matter to safeguard her sanity and that of her family.
“Our client is not desirous of calling you out into the unfortunate saga concerning her allegations against the senate president and wishes that you restrain yourself from delving into the obscene circumstances.
“We would like to state that the allegations of our client are personal to the senate president, and our client believes the senate president has the capacity to defend himself and refute any of these allegations against him.
“While she has tolerated all the harassment from the senate president, she was constrained to reveal the unfortunate torture and victimisation which she has been going through in the red chambers under the hand of the senate president,” the letter stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for Nigerian women, stating that as a family woman, she remains dedicated to upholding shared heritage and family values.
The senator’s husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, while reacting to the incident, confirmed that his wife confided in him about her interactions with the senate president.
Uduaghan, in a statement, said that he initially approached the matter with diplomacy and respect, as he had always seen Akpabio as a family friend.
“My wife has confided in me about her interactions with the senate president, whom I considered a family friend.
“In response, I approached the matter with the utmost maturity and responsibility, as it is my duty as a traditional leader who has immense respect for constituted authority and upholds core family values, foster peace and harmony” he said.
Uduaghan recounted that in his meeting with the senate president, he urged him to extend the courtesy and respect that his wife, who is a sitting senator, deserved.
Going by their previous friendship, the senator’s husband said that he believed the issue could be resolved peacefully.
“I personally met with the senate president and respectfully urged him to extend the courtesy and respect my wife deserves, while also honouring the friendship between us. We reached an understanding and agreed to resolve the issue amicably,” he said.
He, however, noted that in spite of the supposed agreement, his wife continued to raise concerns about harassment from Akpabio, thus suggesting that the issue had remained unresolved.
Notwithstanding the controversy, Uduaghan reaffirmed his trust and confidence in his wife and expressed his unwavering faith in her loyalty and remained resolute in his commitment to their marriage.
“I have unwavering faith in my wife’s loyalty and I am fully committed to our marriage, which is grounded in love, compassion and mutual respect.
“I would never trade her for anything, as she is the greatest joy of my life,” he said.
The Warri-born traditional chief appealed to the senate to treat his wife with the respect and dignity she deserves, while allowing the relevant authorities and courts to determine the facts of the matter.
Speaking on the development, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar called for investigation, describing the allegations as ‘grave.
Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, urged President Bola Tinubu and the senate to ensure a credible, transparent and independent investigation.
“The Nigerian senate represents the voice of the people.
“Those who serve in it, especially its leadership, must uphold the highest standards of integrity, dignity and respect, both for their office and for the Nigerian citizens they serve.
“As the third most powerful figure in the country, the senate president should embody an unimpeachable character.
“Sexual harassment in the workplace is a significant barrier to women’s advancement and, by extension, the nation’s progress.
“Allegations of such misconduct should never be simply dismissed, particularly when they involve a public officer with immense power, influence and responsibility,’’ the former vice-president said.
According to him, as the chief presiding officer of the upper chamber, the senate president has a duty to champion the protection and empowerment of Nigerian women through legislations.
He said that the senate president should, therefore, not be the subject of allegations that undermine these very principles.
Abubakar said that the handling of the matter would send a strong message about Nigeria’s commitment to justice, accountability and the inclusion of women in governance.
“With only four women currently serving in the senate, it is imperative that we foster an environment where female legislators can serve without fear of harassment or intimidation,’’ he said.
From a former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, also came a warning that Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan should not rubbish the senate as an institution.
Saraki, while reacting to the clash between the two gladiators, advised them to explore the senate’s internal conflict resolution channels in resolving their differences.
“The constitution, laws of the country, rules of the senate as well as parliamentary conventions and practices should be adhered to in resolving the issue,” Saraki pleaded.
While urging transparency in the process leading to the resolution of the crisis, the former senate president cautioned Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan to ensure that nothing is done to rubbish the senate.
“I have watched from afar the recent development in the senate between the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“It is a development that has made me sad because of its overall negative effect on the integrity, sanctity, image and public perception of the institution.
“I believe that everyone who has had anything to do with the National Assembly, particularly as a leader, member and worker, should always jealously protect these values which make the institution, the numero uno, among the three arms of government.
“It is for these reasons that I believe that the two parties in this dispute and their supporters in and out of chamber should be mindful of the impact of their actions, inactions, reactions, claims and counter-claims to be sure that nothing is done to rubbish the institution,” Saraki said.
To the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, the sexual harassment levelled against the senate president should be investigated.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, said that Akpabio should not be sacrificed on account of uninvestigated accusations.
“We in Afenifere note and appreciate the political stability engendered by the calm, thoughtful and patriotic leadership of the national assembly by the senate president,” it said.
According to the group, the senate president had been ‘most instrumental’ in engineering one of the few eras in the history of democratic governance in Nigeria, where executive/legislative synergy has been enjoyed.
“We are hopeful that such a committed patriot will not be sacrificed on the altar of unproven allegations by an accuser.
“Of course, the allegations should be investigated by a senate committee. However, we cannot help but notice that they were made after the senate president’s act of just discipline against Sen. Natasha Akpoti.
“Hopefully, this is not a knee-jerk reaction made in a highly emotional state by the disciplined party.
“That being the case, the nation has to be careful in assessing these allegations, as they may or may not result from animosity toward that disciplinary measure,” said Afenifere.
Similarly, an interest group, Citizens Network For Peace and Development in Nigeria, said that the senate not be distracted by the sexual harassment allegation its president.
The group’s Executive Director, Francis Wainwei, said in a statement that the upper chamber should rather remain focused on discharging its constitutional responsibilities to Nigerians.
He said that the call was necessitated by the strength of the group’s findings which revealed that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s primary aim of the sexual harassment allegation might be to escape punishment.
“We are, therefore, calling on the senate to religiously adhere to the strict enforcement of its rules and extant parliamentary procedures.
“This is to ensure the sustenance of its parliamentary integrity and due process without being swayed negatively by any extraneous distraction or sentiment,” Wainwei said.
To the Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP), the Akpabio/Akpoti-Uduaghan feud can lead to a significant loss of public confidence in the National Assembly.
CUPP’s National Secretary, Mr Peter Ameh, while describing the situation as worrisome, said that the face-off could undermine public trust in the senate and the national assembly generally.
He warned that if not properly addressed, the situation could have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s governance and the stability of its democratic institutions.
“The implications of repeated allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio are severe.
“They could have significant consequences, not only for the individual involved but also, for the senate and the entire national assembly,” he said.
Ameh further stated that the allegations against Akpabio, particularly that of sexual harassment, could jeopardise the credibility of the senate and affect its legislative functions.
“The issue of sexual harassment is deeply problematic, as it undermines the professionalism, equity and efficiency of such a prestigious institution.
“It perpetuates systemic gender inequality and stifles progress,” he said.
According to him, the allegations targetting female senators are especially damaging, as they signal a failure to uphold the core values of respect and meritocracy within the senate.
He argued that such actions could discourage capable women from pursuing political careers, ultimately eroding public trust in the senate’s leadership and decision-making processes.
Even though opinions are diverse on the development which analysts have described as unfortunate, it was generally agreed that the allegations should be investigated, particularly in view of their weight and where they were coming from.
Of particular interest also is the public morality of the lawmakers who are representatives of the people and the integrity, sanctity, image and public perception of the national assembly as an institution.
It is believed that the manner in which the matter is handled by the senate will go a long way in determining public perceptions of the institution vis-à-vis what it represents.
NANFeature
