Akande Alleges Senate Conspiracy Against Natasha, Nwaebonyi Defends Red Chamber

Senator Akande accuses the Senate of ganging up against Natasha Akpoti, while Nwaebonyi defends the legislative body’s actions. The controversy deepens as tensions rise in the Red Chamber.

On Thursday, Laolu Akande, a former presidential spokesman, expressed concern regarding what he describes as efforts to silence Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central.

Akpoti-Uduaghan has recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, an allegation that Akpabio has strongly denied.

During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Akande commented on the issue by urging the Senate to cease what he referred to as a conspiracy against the lawmaker.

“They must put an end to the images, meetings, and collective targeting of this woman. This behavior needs to cease. The Senate leadership should demonstrate that there will be a fair and impartial examination of her allegations,” he stated.

Once that issue is resolved, if you believe she should be penalized for breaking the rules, it’s a more appropriate approach. The concept of all the men stepping forward to enforce the rules doesn’t present well at all.

This woman has publicly stated that she has experienced sexual harassment. We must exercise caution, and the Nigerian Senate should be careful not to give the impression of attempting to silence her.

So far, we’ve observed many men holding meetings, speaking out, and going to the media to criticize this woman. It poorly reflects on the Nigerian Senate.

However, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi has come to the defense of the Red Chamber, asserting that his colleague Natasha was acting out of personal interest.

During the same show, the lawmaker representing Ebonyi North stated, “Senator Natasha is alleging sexual harassment because she lost the chairmanship of local content; it’s not about being harassed by Senator Akpabio or any other senator.”

He mentioned that Senator Natasha served as the chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content, a position she felt comfortable with. However, in the Senate, committee leadership is periodically changed and reshuffled; her committee’s leadership was affected just like those of other chairs.

“She was transferred to the Senate Committee on Diaspora, a move that did not sit well with Senator Natasha.”

In light of the sexual harassment allegations, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions rejected Senator Natasha’s petition against Akpabio for sexual harassment and abuse of office on Wednesday.

It dismissed the claims as “dead on arrival,” citing both procedural violations and legal constraints.