Ebira Youth Leaders Condemn Senator Natasha, Accuse Her of “Persistent Blackmail”
The controversy surrounding the sexual harassment allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, continues to escalate, with no resolution in sight.
Over the past two weeks, the allegations have sparked a wave of reactions, including over 100 women’s groups issuing public apologies to the Senate President for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct. In addition, Akpabio has received ongoing support from various groups and influential individuals.
The latest backlash comes from Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s own constituents, who have expressed their discontent by passing a vote of no confidence in her leadership. They have also labeled her a habitual blackmailer, with sexual harassment claims being her preferred method of attack.
In a statement released on Wednesday, members of the Ebira Youth Leaders Forum (EYLF) from Kogi Central expressed their shock and disappointment in their representative. They criticized her failure to act as a positive role model for the Ebira people, whose values of respect and integrity should be reflected in her conduct.
The statement, signed by the group’s General Secretary Dr. Adoza Dahiru, questioned the timing of the sexual harassment accusation, which only surfaced after Akpoti-Uduaghan was removed from her position on the Senate Committee on Local Content and after a reshuffling that resulted in her losing her seat. The youth leaders accuse her of trying to tarnish the reputation of Akpabio and the prestigious office of the Senate President for personal and malicious reasons.
“The ongoing drama in the Senate, with our own representative at the center of it, is deeply embarrassing and casts a shadow over the respected and well-mannered Ebira people,” the statement read. “This is a woman who only recently secured her place in the Senate through judicial intervention, yet instead of focusing on representing her people, she has chosen to attack the office of the third-highest official in our country.”
The group further pointed out that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s history of unsubstantiated sexual harassment claims against prominent figures, including former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former Senator Dino Melaye, and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, has led to no conclusive evidence or outcomes.
“We hereby issue a vote of no confidence in her. Her actions not only degrade our reputation but also reflect her ineptitude as a representative of our people,” the forum continued. “Aside from the solar streetlights and the five Mini Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants in Ajaokuta – projects initiated by President Bola Tinubu – there is no other significant development tied to her name. The Senate is no place for those who seek attention rather than meaningful work.”
The group also highlighted the lack of support from female Senators, both current and former, as a sign of her failure to maintain professional relationships within the Senate.
They called on Akpoti-Uduaghan to accept the suspension, use the time to study Senate rules, and stop seeking irrelevant solutions where none exist. The statement concluded with a promise from the people of Kogi Central to make a final decision about her future once her suspension is over.
