Akpabio:  Nigerians await your side of the story!

SIR: It’s not that other Nigerian Senate presidents didn’t have amorous eyes for female members of the house. Of course, you can’t rule that out. But one thing: they were able to keep their urge under wraps or play their game well, so no female member ever came up to accuse them of telling them sweet nothings.

If other senators had issues, it was certainly not the dirty issue Godswill Akpabio, the current Senate president, is presently having with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduagha.

It is true that several Senate presidents were not able to complete their terms. The reason wasn’t because of women, but because of money or other issues.
Here is the roll call:

Iyorchia Ayu: The Senate impeached Ayu in November 1993 because he opposed the Interim National Government established after the elected president, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, had been prevented from taking office.

Evan Enwerem: The allegation against Enwerem was that he falsified his name, causing controversy over whether Enwerem’s actual real name was Evan or Evans. Enwerem was removed from office as Senate president on November 18, 1999.

Chuba Okadigbo: Okadigbo was impeached as Senate president on August 8, 2000, for alleged corruption. He once said, allegedly, that he did not come to Abuja to watch bridges.

Adolphus Wabara: In April 2005, Wabara resigned from his position as Senate president after allegations were made that he and others took a $400,000 bribe from the education minister, Fabian Osuji.

This would not be the first time a high-profile lady has raised issues with Senator Akpabio for sexual misconduct. On July 13, 2020, Joy Nunnieh, a former acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), alleged openly that she slapped Akpabio on the face for sexually harassing her.

But Nigeria being what it is, the matter was never investigated and was buried in the sand. However, just last week, Senator Natasha, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, revealed the reason the Senate president has been humiliating her: her refusal to “take care of him.” What a coded phrase!

As they say, two is a crowd. The matter started on the Senate floor. Natasha had challenged the Senate president for unnecessarily reshuffling her seat and reassigning her to the back seat. Her attempt to raise a point of order to speak on the issue was rebuffed by the Senate president, who insisted that Natasha had to be in her new seat to be qualified to speak.

That further infuriated Natasha who invoked “order 10,” which gives any aggrieved senator permission to talk even if they were out of order. She said in a high voice, “I don’t care if I am silenced, I am not afraid. You have denied me my privilege.”

In an Arise TV interview, Natasha revealed several details that caused a stir. She said that on the day of Akpabio’s birthday celebrations, he had invited her and her husband, among others, to Uyo to be part of the elaborate fanfare. At one point, Akpabio invited her, along with her husband, to the main house to show them around the edifice.

She said Akpabio held her hand as her husband walked behind them while he showed them around the state of the art house. They came to a point, she said, where Akpabio sat down and asked her if she liked what she had seen, and she said yes. Then the Senate president suggested that they could always come back there together to enjoy themselves. “There are so many things you could gain from me as s Senate president if you can take care of me,” he allegedly said to Natasha.

Hearing such a suggestive statement, Natasha said she told the Senate president, “Excuse me! I don’t understand what you mean.” Her husband felt there was something not right between them, and asked her what was going on. She said she brushed the issue aside because her husband and the Senate president were very good friends.

There were so many other allegations Natasha made against the Senate president which, according to her, made her to be denied several privileges in the Senate.

Natasha has gone to court to demand a N100 billion fine against Akpabio for the defamation of her character. She has also challenged Akpabio to come to the marketplace to tell his own side of the story. Nigerians cannot wait to hear from the Senate president, I tell you. 
Sly Edaghese wrote from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.