Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has announced plans to present evidence supporting her allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the senator stated, “At the right time and at the right space, I will present the evidence that I have.”
Her revelation comes amid ongoing political tensions, including a failed attempt to recall her from office. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently dismissed a recall petition filed against her, citing non-compliance with constitutional provisions.
“I’m a lawyer. I’m a senator. I understand how Nigeria works. For me, the most important thing is that this recall process has been stalled,” she said. “I give kudos and credit to INEC, even though I believe they should have thrown it away from the get-go.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain further alleged that the recall petition was based on falsified information. “Even though INEC did count 208,000 signatures, I bet you if they had gone into the verification stage, they would have struggled to even have 500 people come out to attest to signing that,” she argued.
On March 24, 2025, Charity Omole, an aide to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo, led some constituents from Kogi Central to submit the petition to INEC, seeking Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall. However, in a statement on Thursday, INEC clarified that the petition did not meet the constitutional requirements under Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and declared that no further action would be taken.
The controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s tenure has been heightened by a recent dispute over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber, which escalated into allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio. In response, the Senate suspended her for six months on charges of misconduct, a move widely seen as political retaliation.
Amid these developments, civil society organizations (CSOs) and gender rights advocates have called for a transparent investigation into the harassment allegations and have urged authorities to ensure that due process is followed in addressing her claims.
