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BY ALEXANDER AIYUDU

NEUSROOM

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

The Senate President Godswill Akpabio is once again at the centre of controversy as fresh allegations of sexual harassment emerge, reigniting a case that first made headlines in 2020.

On Friday, February 28, 2025, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, alleged that her troubles in the upper legislative chamber began after she rejected Akpabio’s sexual advances. The claim comes nearly five years after Joy Nunieh, a former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), made a similar accusation against the now-incumbent Senate President.

Back in July 2020, Nunieh shocked the nation when she revealed in an interview with Arise TV that she had slapped Akpabio for allegedly sexually harassing her. According to Nunieh, the incident took place at Akpabio’s guest house in Abuja when he was serving as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

The former NDDC boss claimed that her response was a reflection of her strong will as a woman from Rivers State, emphasizing that she had zero tolerance for misconduct. However, Akpabio swiftly denied the allegation, with his media aide releasing a statement refuting Nunieh’s claims.

The tension between Akpabio and Nunieh was already high before the harassment allegations surfaced. At the time, the Senate was investigating the alleged mismanagement of N40 billion by the NDDC’s interim management committee. Akpabio had distanced himself from the financial scandal, stating that he was kept in the dark about the agency’s expenditures due to Nunieh’s refusal to provide briefings.

Nunieh, on the other hand, accused Akpabio of orchestrating her removal from office after she refused to comply with his “illegal orders.” She further alleged that he directed her to convert the dollars in the NDDC account, dismiss the head of the legal team (who was from northern Nigeria), fire directors who did not comply with his instructions, and falsely implicate Peter Nwaoboshi, then-chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC.

Fast forward to 2025, and another female senator has come forward with similar allegations against Akpabio. The latest claim from Akpoti-Uduaghan follows a heated exchange with the Senate President over seating arrangements in the legislative chamber. While the dispute appeared procedural on the surface, Akpoti-Uduaghan later suggested that her challenges in the Senate began when she rejected Akpabio’s alleged advances.

With these allegations resurfacing, the question now is whether this will lead to a deeper investigation into Akpabio’s past conduct or if, like before, the claims will be dismissed without consequence.

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