In the ongoing sexual harassment case, a stark reminder emerges: the abuse of power often has far-reaching consequences for women.
The recent allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uguaghan have sparked a national conversation about power dynamics, and the pervasive culture of silence that surrounds sexual misconduct.
While the senate president denies the allegations and the senate declares Akpoti-Uguaghan guilty, we must examine the systemic issues that enable sexual harassment and rape culture to thrive, particularly in institutions of power.
Here’s how it all began
In a viral video on social media on 20 February 2025, a visibly upset Akpoti-Uguaghan expressed her displeasure over Akpabio’s abrupt decision to change the seating arrangement in the legislative chamber without prior notice. She also expressed her frustration at the Senate President’s repeated refusal to acknowledge her.
A handful of lawmakers urged her to comply for peace to reign, but she stood her ground, refusing to be intimidated. In response, Akpabio called Akpoti-Uduaghan an ignorant lawmaker. His spokesman also referred to her as a narcissist who preferred wearing transparent clothes to Parliament and applying makeup rather than focusing on her legislative duties.
However, the situation escalated a week later, on February 28, following an interview on Arise TV wherein the Kogi Central senator made shocking revelations. She alleged that her trouble in the Senate began after she rejected sexual advances from the Senate president.
She added that Akpabio had made multiple sexual advances toward her, all of which she rejected. Likewise, she also alleged the Senate president had persistently victimised her by rejecting her motions and denying her the right to speak or contribute to discussions during plenary sessions.
In his response to the allegations, the Senate President, Akpabio said, “All that Senator Natasha said are all tissues of lies. She is just angry because she was removed as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content.”
Power play in the ongoing case
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations against Senator Akpabio, the third official of the federation after the President and his Vice, triggered widespread reactions, particularly in the 109-member Senate, which is male-dominated.
Many senators took turns condemning Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing the female senator of tarnishing the institution’s reputation. The Senate’s other three female lawmakers did not support her. Instead, they urged her to settle the matter amicably with the Senate president.
Some senators, notably Deputy Chief Whip Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, condemned the actions of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan citing that she was “young and not decent.”
However, reports reveal that Senator Akpabio used the same tactics to refute Joy Nunieh’s previous sexual harassment allegations against him; they claimed she had an attitude problem.
This approach employs a classic trope of victim-blaming, wherein the people in power malignantly scrutinise the woman’s character to discredit her allegations, rather than confronting the substance of the claim itself.
The Senate President’s wife, Mrs Akpabio, granted an interview in which she stood in defence of her husband and also made clear her intentions to sue Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in return for defamation. Although many expected her actions as the wife of the accused, silence or a neutral stance would have been appropriate pending an investigation.
More attempts to silence Akpoti-Uduaghan
In an open letter signed by AbdulRaheem Adeku, the Kogi Central Concerned Stakeholders apologised to Akpabio on behalf of the Ebira people, describing their senator’s conduct as “disrespectful and unbecoming” of a lawmaker.
The group highlighted Akpabio’s past support for Akpoti-Uduaghan, particularly his role in securing her the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
They described her actions as a betrayal, recalling that Akpabio had previously nominated Senator Abubakar Ohere to hold the position, anticipating her eventual court-declared victory.
Protests held in solidarity of both parties
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Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio took a new turn as protesters bombarded the National Assembly, with people declaring support for both parties involved.
Pro Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan protesters called for the resignation of the Senate President or an immediate suspension pending a proper and fair investigation of the case and protection of women’s rights. Pro-Akpabio supporters, on the other hand, appeared to be unclear about the reasons for their protest when interviewed by ARISE News.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan found “guilty” by Senate
Amid the protests, Akpoti-Uduaghan submitted a formal petition against the Senate president for sexual harassment on 4 March 2025, presenting it on the Senate floor. Although the Senate rejected her petition, the senator resubmitted it on 6 March 2025. Eventually, the Senate accepted her petition and sent it to the Ethics Committee for investigation.
However, the likelihood of a fair hearing appeared slim as Senator Akpabio, the accused, presided over the case in the senate and the parliament had already expressed their support for Senator Akpabio before investigations.
In an unsurprising turn of events, the Committee has found Senator Akpabio innocent of the petition filed against him and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of violating the senate rules. The Senate recommends suspending the female senator for six months and ordering her to tender a written apology to the Senate.
Even before the investigation began, Senator Neda Imasuen, chairman of the Ethics Committee, said Akpabio could not have committed sexual harassment, declaring the petition as “dead on arrival.”
However, this is not Akpabio’s first rodeo with sexual harassment allegations. Four years ago, Akpabio, who at the time was Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, faced allegations of sexual harassment by Joy Nunieh, who was the Acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Commission. She also disclosed her allegations on national TV revealing that she had had to slap Akpabio in her defence. Senator Akpabio would later deny that allegation.
As the case unfolds, one thing is clear: the pursuit of justice is inextricably linked to the dismantling of patriarchal power structures. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s courage in speaking out against the senate president serves as a powerful reminder that no one should be above the law. To uphold this principle, we must conduct investigations and subsequent proceedings independent of power and politics. Ultimately, justice must be served, not the interests of those who wield power.
