By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has spoken on the psychological effect of the sexual harassment allegation levelled against him by the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying it has traumatized him and the entire Red Chamber.
Akpabio described the allegation as “useless” adding that Akpoti-Uduaghan was only aggrieved over certain decisions taken by the Senate particularly the change of committee which affected her.
The Senate President spoke on Saturday at an event to commemorate International Women’s Day.
He said, ‘’It is only yesterday that I realised that what we are talking about only happened when there was a change of seat. That is when hell was let loose, and all sorts of allegations came up, only after the change of seat and change of committee, which my Senators know to happen from time to time.
“This is said to have happened on December 8, a day before my birthday, which was celebrated in the Stadium in 2023. So from the 8th of December 2023, I never heard, my wife never heard, no Nigerian ever heard, even the husband never heard any issue of sexual harassment until her committee was changed and then her seat was changed.
“Have you ever wondered about the trauma caused by that same woman on the other people she has accused in the past? None has been proven so far. Do you even wonder about the trauma this caused to the 10th Senate and the image of the Senate with all these useless allegations? I have refrained myself from making a statement.
“Look at these beautiful women. They have come across me so many times. Have I ever harassed any one of you? Or is the person thinking that you are not beautiful?”
Akpabio had come under heavy criticism following the sanction handed out to the Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, cautioned the Senate against making the political atmosphere toxic for women.
Major opposition parties in the country have also expressed outrage over the manner in which the complaint was handled.
But Akpabio maintained his innocence, saying none of what she alleged was true.While defending himself, Akpabio raised concerns that he was merely Natasha’s latest victim, saying previous allegations by the lawmaker had turned out to be false.
