‘From seating arrangement to sexual harassment’ – Akpabio’s kinsmen knock Natasha
UYO – Afe Annang, a foremost socio-cultural organisation in Annang Nation, Akwa Ibom state, where the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio hails from, have said that they were not satisfied with only the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate.
The leader of the group Atai Afe Annang, His Majesty Obong Blaise Awakama, who made the assertion while addressing a press conference on behalf of Afe Annang held at the organization’s Secretariat in Abak Local government area, Thursday evening called for the recall or replacement of Akpoti-Uduaghan by her senatorial district, the Kogi Central.
“We are not satisfied with only the suspension of the Senator Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan. We think her constituency should recall her. And she should be given proper advice and orientation or be replaced by some other person. I don’t think that type of conduct is what any Nigerian, let alone a woman, should carry to the Senate.”, he asserted.
Obong Awakama, who said they were compelled to react to the vexing, controversial national issue causing widespread publicity in the media, warned against any political plot to ease their respected son out of office as they couldn’t sit idly to see the adversaries succeed.
He stated, “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 Godswill Akpabio.
“How did an ordinary routine change of seating arrangement arising from the incidence of senators cross-carpeting, necessitating such changes, become an issue of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment?
“Every Senator represents a people. Distinguished Godswill Akpabio represents the people of Annang Nation, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district of Akwa Ibom state. He represents the entire 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 can’t be used as an instrument of political harassment by political antagonists. A word is sufficient to the wise”
Recall that the Senate had on Thursday, March 7, suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following the recommendation of the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions which found her guilty of misconduct and failure to appear before the committee.
The suspension stems from allegations of sexual harassment which she levelled against the Senate president
