The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has firmly stated that he will not resign from his position following sexual harassment allegations leveled against him by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Speaking during a Senate session on Thursday, Akpabio said he remains focused on legislative duties and described the accusations as false and distracting.
While addressing senators after the passage of four significant tax reform bills, Akpabio made it clear that he had no plans to step down.
He responded to comments from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, saying, “Who told you I was going to step down? Those who thought this Senate would ask me to resign have now seen that we remain focused on our duties.”
Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, praised the Senate for maintaining its direction and commitment to national matters despite recent controversies.
He noted that the upper chamber would not allow its focus to be diverted by unverified claims. “At whatever level allegations arise, we will demand evidence and act in the overriding public interest,” he stated.
He also drew a comparison between the current situation and cases of wrongful conviction in other countries, particularly the United States.
“I am not one of those who step down for what is false. And when it is eventually proven untrue, they simply say, ‘oh’, as if that makes up for it,” Akpabio said.
The controversy began in March 2025 when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was suspended from the Senate following a disagreement with the leadership. She claimed her suspension was linked to a seating change meant to embarrass her and later alleged that Akpabio had sexually harassed her.
She made these accusations public during a live television appearance and repeated them at a United Nations event in New York, where she called for international attention on the Senate’s actions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged that her suspension came with additional punishment, including a six-month ban, loss of salary, and removal of her security detail. In response, Akpabio’s legal team filed a motion at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to compel her to remove a satirical video she had posted on social media.
In the video, posted on April 27, she mockingly apologised to Akpabio “for not allowing him to have his way,” a comment many saw as sarcastic. She added that she was “sorry for the crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect,” suggesting that Akpabio believed rejection by a woman was impossible.
Following this, the legal dispute escalated. While a previous court order from Justice Binta Nyako instructed both parties to refrain from public comments while the case is ongoing, Akpabio’s lawyers argued that the video violates that ruling.
They asked the court to force Akpoti-Uduaghan to take down the video and publish apologies in at least two national newspapers.
