Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has expressed concern over what he believes are efforts to silence Kogi Central lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Akpoti-Uduaghan recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her, a claim Akpabio has strongly denied.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Akande urged the Senate to put an end to what he described as a concerted effort to undermine the lawmaker. “They need to stop all these images, meetings, and ganging up against this woman. That has to stop. The leadership of the Senate needs to show us that there will be a fair and impartial consideration of her allegations,” he said.
He further stated, “Once that is sorted, if there is a need to punish her for violating the rules, it is the better way to handle it. This idea of all of the men coming out and waving the rules around is not a good look at all. This woman has publicly stated that she has been sexually harassed, and we must be careful. The Nigerian Senate must be cautious not to give the impression that we are trying to silence her.”
Akande also criticized the Senate’s response, noting, “What we’ve seen so far is a lot of men holding meetings, speaking out, and going to the media to discredit this woman. It’s a poor reflection on the Nigerian Senate.”
In contrast, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi defended the Senate’s position, claiming that Akpoti-Uduaghan was driven by personal interests.
