The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, has publicly reacted to the serious allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
It would be recalled that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, had accused Akpabio of making persistent sexual advances toward her, claiming that his hostility toward her was a result of her refusal to give in to his demands.
According to Natasha, these alleged incidents occurred both within Nigeria and during official engagements abroad.
However, in response to these claims, Senator Nwaebonyi has strongly refuted the allegations, insisting that there is no truth to them.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV, the Deputy Chief Whip stated that he was present at the event where Senator Natasha claimed the harassment took place and personally witnessed what transpired.
According to a report from Vanguard, Nwaebonyi emphasized that at no point did Akpabio engage in any inappropriate conduct toward Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
He went on to provide a detailed account of the events of that day, saying, “On the issue of sexual harassment as alleged by Senator Natasha, as God would have it, I am an eyewitness. As I posted on social media, I narrated what truly transpired.”
He continued, “On that fateful day of December 8, 2023, I was among the senators who attended the birthday ceremony of the Senate President.”
Refuting one of the specific claims made by Natasha, he added, “There was never a time the Senate President told Senator Natasha, ‘Do you like my house? We will come back to have a good time.’ That never happened. Senator Natasha knows that very well.”
Senator Nwaebonyi’s remarks have further fueled public discussions and debates on the matter, with social media users expressing diverse opinions regarding the truthfulness of both parties' claims.