The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere has called on the Senate to investigate the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, by one of his female colleagues, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The media have been awash in recent times over the feud between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State and the Senate President, who later accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
In a statement on Monday by the National Organising Secretary of the Afenifere, Abagun Kole Omololu, the group advised that the allegation should be investigated by a Senate committee, saying the Senate president should not be sacrificed on account of uninvestigated accusations.
He said, ” 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, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who has been most instrumental in engineering one of the few eras in the history of democratic governance in Nigeria where we have enjoyed Executive/Legislative synergy.
“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 Senator 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.”
However, the Afenifere threw weight behind the Senate President for his support of President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing Renewed Hope Agenda.
“But whatever the case, Afenifere, without passing any judgment on the accuser and her accusations, based on his history and credibility, extends the right hand of fellowship to Senator Godswill Akpabio and commends him for being a steady hand during these times of political, economic, and social reforms of the Renewed Hope agenda,” the statement read.
