The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called for an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement issued in Kaduna by ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the forum expressed deep concern over the controversy unfolding in the 10th Senate. The dispute, stemming from an altercation between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan, has dominated national discourse and raised significant concerns about the integrity of the Senate.
ACF noted that public reactions to the allegations, including comments from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s husband, have further fueled tensions and risk tarnishing the reputation of the Senate. The forum warned that the controversy has both national and international implications, casting doubts on the credibility of Nigeria’s legislative arm.
The group also questioned whether the situation was part of a broader pattern of marginalization, pointing out that northern senators appear to have faced the harshest disciplinary actions 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,” the statement read.
The ACF urged the Senate’s Northern Caucus to rally behind Akpoti-Uduaghan to ensure she receives a fair hearing and is treated with the dignity she deserves. It also called on the National Assembly to uphold ethical standards, discipline, and integrity, criticizing what it described as a deficit of these values in the current Senate leadership.
To restore public trust, the forum emphasized the need for a transparent and impartial probe into the allegations, free from political interference. It stressed that resolving the matter swiftly would allow the Senate to focus on its primary duty of lawmaking, especially at a time when Nigerians are grappling with severe economic hardships.
