Akpabio punishing me for refusing his sexual advances – Senator Natasha

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central has alleged that she is being punished by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, because she refused his sexual advances.

Natasha said this days after a drama ensued between her and Akpabio over seating arrangements in the Senate chambers.

Her contribution at the plenary was ignored by Akpabio after she refused his directive for her to speak from the seat she was assigned to, which she claimed was unfavourably positioned.

She was then placed in the hands of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, for disciplinary review.

Reacting, the Kogi lawmaker filed a suit against Akpabio for alleged defamation, just as she asked the court to compel the senate president to pay damages of N100.3 billion.

Amid the debacle, Natasha told Arise TV on Friday that her issue with Akpabio didn’t start with the drama at plenary.

She said her husband could arrest to Akpabio’s behaviour around her, adding that she could prove it with printed screenshots of conversations between them “because he was always calling me on WhatsApp.”

She said: “My issue with Akpabio started on 8th of December, 2023 when myself and my husband visited Akwa Ibom for Senator Akpabio’s birthday.

“Akpabio was showing me around his house and was holding my hands with my husband following behind us when he said, he wants me to come and be spending special moments in his house. My husband heard him and later told me not to travel abroad alone or be with the Senate President alone.

“In February, I wanted to move a motion for the investigation on the ills of the corrupt practice in an Ajaokuta steel company. I listed that motion five times. It was the sixth time that it was listed on the order paper that was approved. Many senators can testify to that.

“Before the motion made the order paper, I went to the Senate President in his office, and I said, Senate President,’ you know how important this Ajaokuta Steel Company is to me, you know how important it is to my people and to Nigerians.

“I’ve noticed that you have stepped down this motion’. As a matter of fact, a number of senators told me to see him and plead with him so that he would take it. I was like, ‘sir, please, why can’t you take this motion? It’s very important’ Then, it was listed the third time and stepped down.

“He then said, ‘Natasha, I’m the Chief presiding officer of the Senate, you can enjoy a whole lot if you take care of me. Make me happy’. At that point, I said, ‘Sir, I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear this’. He said, ‘well, the ball is in your court’. I left his office

“My case is a case of a student being punished by a lecturer for refusing to sleep with him.”