A civil advocacy group, The Action Collective, has demanded the immediate resignation of President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio, over renewed allegations of sexual harassment which the group claimed were damaging both the credibility of the National Assembly and Nigeria’s international reputation.
In a statement released yesterday by its National Coordinator, Mr Teddy Onyejuwe, the group said Akpabio’s continued leadership of the Senate questions Nigeria’s commitment to accountability and the fight against gender-based violence.
“sends the wrong message about Nigeria’s commitment to accountability and the fight against gender-based violence,” it stated in part.
The latest call came following recent allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, which have re-jigged public scrutiny of Akpabio’s alleged history of inappropriate conduct.
“The character of Senator Akpabio has long been in question. As far back as 2020, Joy Nunieh, the former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), publicly alleged that Akpabio attempted to sexually harass her at his Abuja guest house an advance she claimed to have resisted by slapping him,” the statement read.
Although Akpabio strongly denied the 2020 allegation and threatened legal action for defamation at the time, The Action Collective argued that the growing pattern of accusations raised serious concerns about his fitness for public office.
“In a functional democracy, a public officer with such a controversial record would have stepped aside to allow for an independent and unhindered investigation,” the group stated. “Nigeria cannot afford to project leadership perceived to be hostile or disrespectful to women.”
The group expressed deep concern over what it described as a “culture of impunity” in the Nigerian Senate and condemned the institution’s lack of urgency in addressing the allegations with seriousness.
“We believe in the presumption of innocence, but we also believe in institutional integrity,” Onyejuwe emphasized. “The Senate President must step aside for the sake of the dignity of the legislative arm and the country at large. His continued presence in that seat is a mockery of justice and a slap in the face of every Nigerian woman.”
The group further warned that Nigeria’s global image is at stake, stressing the importance of upholding moral standards at the highest levels of government.
“If we must build a nation that commands global respect, we must be seen to uphold moral integrity in leadership,” Onyejuwe concluded.
The Action Collective called on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations, and international human rights bodies to support its demand for Akpabio’s resignation, at least pending a full, transparent investigation into the allegations.
