The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Peter Nwebonyi, has condemned recent allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, calling them baseless and politically motivated attempts to destabilize the Senate.
Reacting to remarks by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who called for transparency in addressing the accusations, Nwebonyi insisted that the claims against Akpabio lack substance. He contrasted them with Saraki’s past case, which he described as an administrative issue, arguing that Akpabio’s accusers are simply trying to evade disciplinary actions.
Nwebonyi specifically criticized Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who recently accused Akpabio of sexual harassment. He questioned why she never raised such concerns within the Senate or reported the matter to female colleagues, suggesting that the allegations only surfaced after she faced disciplinary proceedings.
“This is not the first time Senator Natasha has made reckless allegations against public figures. We have seen similar claims against Reno Omokri, Dino Melaye, and Yahaya Bello, all of which lacked any credible evidence,” Nwebonyi said.
To address the controversy, he proposed three key steps:
1. Akpoti-Uduaghan should face the Senate Ethics Committee regarding allegations of misconduct.
2. If she has genuine claims, she should pursue legal action through appropriate channels.
3. The Senate should not be distracted by what he called a “campaign of falsehood” aimed at avoiding accountability.
Nwebonyi emphasized that the Senate operates on principles of law and reason, urging Nigerians not to allow blackmail and political distractions to undermine its integrity.
