Pro-Senator Akpabio supporters on Thursday at the entrance of the National Assembly rejected Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims of sexual harassment and intimidation by the Senate President.
The protesters carried banners with messages such as, “Calls for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to apologize to the Senate, the Senate President and the Nigerian Women”, “We say no to Natasha’s serial blackmailing” and “Akpabio treated Natasha as a daughter and friend”.
Despite the initial dispersal, the protesters regrouped at a nearby location and continued their demonstration, vowing not to relent until their demands were met.
On Wednesday pro-Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan protesters also besieged the gate leading to the National Assembly Complex over allegations of sexual harassment by the Senate President, Senator Akpabio.
Senator Akpabio, had denied the allegations saying at no time had he ever harassed any woman.
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The Senate President, said he had been inundated with calls on the matter since February 25, and that he was aware of the growing social media discourse. He urged Nigerians, the media, and social media users to refrain from drawing conclusions and await the court’s decision on the matter.
Protesters demand
One of the pro-Akpabio group protester, Mr. Jeff Onyema said the Senate President is a committed and dedicated personality who has respect for women.
Mr. Onyema therefore advised Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an unreserved apology to the Senate President, the Senate and Nigerian women for her misconduct and for misleading the people.
“Senator Akpabio is a well respected man. This is a man that has been a Commissioner. This is a man that has been a Governor. This is a man that came here as a Senator and now the Senate President. If check his record, no woman has ever come to say such things. Why now? During our finding, we realized that Senator Natasha was reacting because she was removed as the Chairman of Local Contents” he said.
Also speaking during the protest, Mr. Lucky Jonah, who said he is from Delta State said Chairing the Local Content Committee in the Senate is not someone’s birth right.
He advised Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to quickly apologize to the Senate President.
“We are calling on Natasha to cease fire and apologize to the Senate President and the Senate Committee because she has benefited enough in this system. The Local Content is not her birth right. We are also using this medium to call on her husband, our brother Emmanuel Uduaghan to call his wife to order. She has embarrassed so many people through the zexual harassment. We don’t want to see a woman causing problem to Niger Delta region” he said.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had during a live television interview accused Senator Akpabio of sexual harassment on her person which the Nigerian Senate President had publicly denied.
Trouble started few weeks ago when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan rejected a seat allocated to her in the Chamber, resulting into confrontation between her and the Senate President.
Before becoming senate president less than two years ago, Senator Akpabio was governor of the oil-rich Akwa Ibom state for eight years and also minister of Niger Delta affairs under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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