The apex northern sociocultural group Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called for an investigation over allegations of sexual advance by Sen Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
ACF said it is highly disturbed by the emerging controversy in the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The controversy stems from an altercation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio, representing Kogi Central.
ACF, in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna and signed by its national publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad -Baba averred that allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation have since been brought into the fray by the embattled Senator Natasha, which continue to make rounds in the media and indeed taken centre stage in many discourses relating to the controversy.
The forum posited that inevitably, many persons and groups have been out there in the public space with strong opinions on the matter, stressing that even Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan’s husband has been forced to comment publicly on the matter. All such public interventions can potentially disrepute a body empowered to make laws for Nigeria.
According to ACF, as things now stand, in the eyes of the general public, the allegations in question portend definite negative implications for the national and international public image of the Red Chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly.
“While the imbroglio lasts, the interests of the people of Kogi Central are not adequately represented in the 10th Senate. While perhaps far-fetched, ACF rues the development and hopes it is not part of the thinly veiled anti-Arewa agenda now pervading the Nigerian political process.
“It does seem that to date, only Senators from the North have been subjected to heavy sanctions, such as suspensions, in the 10th Senate. In the event, ACF wonders if the unfolding events constitute a pattern or if cruel coincidences exist at work! Putting it mildly, the public image of the leadership of the 10th Senate is now less than inspiring.
“ACF, therefore, joins concerned Nigerians in wishing that the saga will end soon. An independent, open, transparent, and thorough investigation should be conducted without fear, favour, or interference from any quarters.
This will be necessary to allow the Senate to return, as it should, to the solemn duty of law-making for Nigeria when citizens are being overwhelmed by dire existential living conditions because of the impact of public policies on lives and livelihoods“.
ACF called on the Northern Caucus in the 10th Senate to rally around Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan so that she gets a fair hearing and, ultimately, accorded treatment with all the deserved due respect that she is entitled to in the affairs of the Red Chamber.
ACF further called on the leadership and membership of the National Assembly to always „display exemplary behaviour, edifying comportment, display sensitivity, circumspection personal discipline and be above board in matters of ethics, decorum, moral rectitude and integrity, qualities that are sorely needed but which, very sadly, appear to be in deficit in the way the 10th Senate is being run“.
