Senate President Godswill Akpabio has strongly denied allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that he has always upheld respect for women.
Speaking at the resumption of plenary on Wednesday, after a week-long recess, Akpabio dismissed the claims, describing them as unfounded and baseless.
“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 stated.
Akpabio further revealed that since February 25, he had been inundated with calls regarding the allegation, adding that he was aware of the heated discussions on social media.
He, however, urged Nigerians, the media, and social media users to avoid jumping to conclusions and instead allow due process to take its course in court.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan formally raised her petition under Order 40 of the Senate rules, accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
She then requested permission to step forward and officially lay the petition before the chamber.
The Senate has referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, directing the panel to review the petition and submit its findings as soon as possible.
The controversy began in February after a dispute over Senate seat arrangements spiraled into a confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio.
The disagreement quickly escalated, culminating in allegations of s*xual harassment, which have sparked tensions within the Senate and raised concerns about decorum and legislative conduct.