Wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Ekaette Akpabio, has dismissed the allegations made by the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accusing her husband of making advances towards her.
LEADERSHIP reports that Senator Natasha had in an interview on Arise News’ ‘Morning Show’ on Friday, claimed that her continuous confrontations with the Senate President began after she refused his alleged romantic overtures.
Reacting to the allegations in an interview on Friday, Ekaette described her husband as a disciplined and jovial man, stating that Natasha’s claims were unfounded and misleading.
Ekaette expressed disbelief over Natasha’s claim, explaining that her husband had always been a friend to the family even before she (Natasha) was married to him.
“I’d rather call it an unfortunate accusation, it’s very demeaning because that is a family, we knew the husband before the husband married her, we knew the man. They are very good friends. So I really don’t understand where this is coming from, and I believe that for somebody to go and make such allegations, there must be a discussion at home, there must have been a sanction or an approval,” Ekaette said.
She further questioned the credibility of Natasha’s claims, suggesting that if her husband had indeed been accused of such misconduct, there would have been noticeable tension between him and Natasha’s husband.
“If you’re going to say this, go ahead and say it. And if the approval has come from the husband, our friend, I believe that he would have spoken to me because we are close, and then if the wife has complained about such a thing, and he still comes and he’s normal. There’s no man you will tell, ‘your friend harassed me,’ I know how men behave, that will not frown. First of all, the attitude towards the person will change, but his attitude never changed.”
Ekaette also refuted Natasha’s assertions regarding a house in Ikot Ekpene, clarifying that the Akpabios do not own property in that location.
“And if you’re talking about the house, we don’t have any house in Ikot Ekpene. Ikot Ekpene is a local government, we are from Essien Udim local government. Our country home is in Essien Udim in Ukana, and I didn’t hear anything about Ukana, we have a beautiful home in Ukana. If you’re talking about Uyo, the house in Uyo, I’m always there, I own a school, I’m always in my school, and when I finish from the school, so the home you’re talking about, I’m always there.”
Defending her husband’s character, she emphasised his reputation as a responsible leader who has supported and empowered women in governance.
“The Senate President is a very, very responsible man and disciplined. As a governor, the number of women we had then in government, I’ve never seen that has had that number of women. But in Akwa Ibom, when he was a governor, a lot of women were involved in governance and none of them, not one, ever said something like this.”
Ekaette Akpabio suggested that her husband’s leniency toward criticisms has allowed people to spread unfounded accusations.
“He allows people to get away with a lot of things, and he’d always tell me, ‘If you can’t stand it, leave the kitchen, I’m here to serve my people, they will throw mud at me.’ I said, but this mud is becoming too much, why can’t you do something. So I’m now the one going for a legal address.”
