The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have clashed over the sexual harassment allegation leveled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, with both regional groups accusing each other of political scheming ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
PANDEF has dismissed the allegation as a politically motivated attack aimed at destabilizing President Bola Tinubu’s administration and ensuring that power returns to the North in the next election. It claimed the ACF’s involvement in the controversy exposes a broader strategy to undermine Akpabio’s leadership and weaken Tinubu’s political stronghold in the South.
The Niger Delta group further accused ACF of attempting to incite Northern Nigeria against the South, arguing that the North had already enjoyed two consecutive presidential terms under Muhammadu Buhari. It insisted that the 2027 presidency belongs to the South and accused ACF of threatening Nigeria’s unity by implying that Northern senators were being unfairly targeted for suspensions in the 10th Senate.
In response, the ACF expressed concern over what it described as a pattern of political targeting against Northern senators, raising questions about the fairness of the Senate’s leadership under Akpabio. It called for an independent investigation into the allegations against the Senate President, emphasizing that the credibility of the 10th Senate was now at stake.
PANDEF, however, dismissed ACF’s claims, branding them a call for anarchy and demanding the arrest and interrogation of ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T.A. Mohammad-Baba, for allegedly inciting division between the North and South. As tensions rise, PANDEF has urged Akpabio to remain steadfast, assuring him of Southern Nigeria’s support, while ACF insists that the allegations must be thoroughly investigated to preserve the Senate’s integrity.
