Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of maligning her because she rejected his s3xual advances.
Recall that last Thursday, Senator Natasha and Akpabio had a faceoff in the Senate chamber over seating arrangement.
During her outburst to the Senate President, Natasha accused him of maligning her and that she will not be silenced by him
In an interview with Arise TV this morning, February 28, Senator Natasha who is married to a Delta State-born billionaire businessman, said her issue with Akpabio began in December 2023 during an official visit to Akpabio’s native Akwa Ibom State. She alleged that the Senate President used the opportunity to invite her and her husband to tour his private house in Uyo, the state capital.
Natasha alleged that it was during the tour of the magnificent building that Akpabio told her that he could create a space for them both in the building to have fun.
‘’It all started on 8th of December 2023, which is a day before his birthday and mine, we are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom, myself, my husband and a few of his close friends. At first, we were at his house in Ikot Ekpene. Then we all moved his house in Uyo, and this was about 8pm.
Then he held my hand and said he wanted to show me around his house. My husband was walking behind us. We were walking from room to room. He showed me the beautiful interior and I noticed that he hastened his pace while still holding my hand. My husband was behind, still on his phone, but he was catching up whenever he could. When he got to this particular sitting room, he said ‘ Do you like my house?’
I said ‘Of course Sir, every room is beautiful, nice interior, quality taste’ and then he said
‘Now that you are a Senator, I am going to create time for us to come spend quality time, you will enjoy it’
Senator Natasha said that at that point she pulled back and was not sure of what to make of what she had just heard. She said her husband immediately looked at her and him, and then she wondered if he heard the inciting statement Akpabio had allegedly made. She mentioned that her husband later asked her what had happened.
‘’My husband asked me ‘Natasha, what did the Senate President tell you? What did he whisper to you?’ I was like should I tell him that he was speaking about bringing me in here at a special time for us to have a good time? or should I just kill it, wrap it up because tomorrow was a big day and I know how much my husband adores the Senate President. He loves him as a brother. My husband would do anything to support him. So I just scribbled some words to mask what was said.
Later at night when we laid in bed and he wrapped his hand around me, my husband said ‘my love, you know you can tell me anything. What did the Senate President tell you? and I was like ’don't you believe me? I said Nothing Moreover it is my birthday in a few minutes, let's just be happy'
My husband told me he doesn't want to see me travel outside the country alone and that I should not go to the Senate President's house because he has a guest house many Senators do go there after office to like get approvals and all that. I thought that was going to be the end but in February, I wanted to move a motion for the Ajaokuta Steel company, I listed that motion five times. It was the sixth time that it was approved.
Each time the motion is listed, just before he takes it, he will say ‘O Senator Natasha, we can’t take this motion because the mood of the Senate can't accommodate it or he will speak on others, just to let it drag so that before my motion is taken, the time will be well spent.
He kept on doing that. I went to him in his office and I said ‘Senate President, you know how important the Ajaokuta Steel company is to me, you know how important it is to my people and to Nigerians. I have noticed you have stepped down this motion and that as a matter of fact, a number of Senators told me go and plead with him so he can take it. I was like why can’t you take this motion? He then said ‘Natasha, I am the Chief Presiding officer of the Senate, you can enjoy a whole lot, make me happy’'
Speaking further, Senator Natasha said at that point she told him she would pretend she didn't hear what he said.
‘’He said well, the ball is in your court.''
On a previous incident on the floor of the Senate where Akpabio warned Natasha to behave herself since the Senate was not a ‘nightclub’, the Kogi Central Senator said it was not a slip of tongue as the Senate President allegedly once discussed having a ‘nightclub’ fun with her previously.
She asked the Senate President to come out and state his own truth as well.
