Kinsmen of Senate President Senator Goodwill Akpabio, from the Annang ethnic nationality in Akwa Ibom State, have called on political leaders in Kogi Central Senatorial District to recall their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
They seek her proper guidance on the workings of the National Assembly or consider her possible replacement.
During a press conference at the Afe Annang Secretariat, located in Ebebit Afaha Obong, Abak Local Government Area, the traditional leader of Annang land, His Majesty Obong Blaise Awaka-ama, made this announcement on Thursday.
This call was prompted by the recent media frenzy surrounding allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio and the subsequent suspension of the alleged victim.
The Itai, along with the head of a prominent socio-cultural organization in Annang Nation, emphasized that, according to Senate rules, all members are equal, regardless of gender.
Therefore, they consider sexual harassment to be an unfamiliar term within the context of the National Assembly.
“We are not satisfied with just suspension by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, we want the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District to recall their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to properly advise or replace her in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly”. The Itai stated.
The Statement issued at the end of the Press Conference frowned at the fact that the issue that brought about the much-publicised sexual harassment accusation came from a routine change of sitting allocation in the Senate Chamber which affected not only Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Statement which was endorsed by HM. Awaka-ama and the Secretary General of the organization, Prof. Kingsley Akpabio and made available to our Correspondent, warned that Akpabio, apart from being the Senate President, has a root and is well respected by his people and as such no female Senator should be used as a front to defame him.
In a tone that is suspicious of an organized political plot/controversy to ease out their son as the Senate President, the statement vows the the Annang Nation will not sit by to see the adversaries succeed.
It stressed that owing to the huge contributions of the State and Annang in particular to the Nation, the seat of the Senate President is deserving and Akpabio deserves to be treated with honour and decorum.
“The issues at stake as we gather from the mass media include routine change of seating allocation in the Senate affecting Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan which she sees as offensive and discriminatory, leading her to further suggest sexual harassment by the distinguished Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio. How did an ordinary routine change of seating arrangements, arising from the incidence of Senators cross-carpeting, necessitating such changes, become issues of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment?
“Still arising from our studies of mass media reports on the matters, we are able to find that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a suit in the court against distinguished and respected Senator Godswill Akpabio, our respected and respectable son, in which she did not allege or include any reference to sexual harassment by the Senate President.
“We have seen and listened to published/recorded video interviews of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, during which she claimed to have been in Senator Akpabio’s house together with her husband. We are at a loss to know if Senator Akpabio and her husband were jointly, severally and mutually harassing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Other Senators, as reported in some of the published media accounts, claim that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was lying as they were physically present during their visit to the distinguished Senate President’s House in Uyo. What is actually going on with this matter?”
“In all of these, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has not filed any complaint with the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee, against the Senate President. Rather, she approached a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the court to restrain the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, from conducting a disciplinary proceeding against her in the Senate. The court complied with her request.
“As if this court action by the accusing Senator was not sufficient as a legal stunt to stop proper Senate attention to her accusations against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, there are other media reports published in the media that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has organized protesters to demonstrate at the National Assembly Complex that the Senate President must resign.
“We want to State that: every Senator represents a people. Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio represents the people of Annang Nation, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State. He represents the entire Nation/people of Nigeria, as the Senate President. We are proud of and supportive of him. No female Senator should be used as a front to defame him.
“If there is an organized political plot/controversy to ease him out of office, we shall not sit and cannot sit idly by, to see the adversaries succeed. Annang Nation has sacrificed and contributed a lot to our dear nation Nigeria and her son the Senate President deserves to be treated with honour and decorum.
“He must be so treated. A false claim of sexual harassment, which has become a matter of litigation should not and cannot be used as an instrument of political harassment, by political antagonists. A word is sufficient to the wise”. The statement reads in parts.
Present during the press conference were distinguished sons of Annang Nation including: Senator Emmanuel Ibo Essien, former Chief Whip of Nigeria Senate, DIG Ekpoudom Ekpoudom, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Barr. Nse Ekanem, first Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, former Accountant General of the State, Sir Udo Isobars, Prof. Kingsley Akpabio of the University of Uyo among others.
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