Afe Annang, a socio-cultural organisation from Annang Nation in Akwa Ibom State, has rejected the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that she should be recalled or replaced by her constituents in Kogi Central.
The group’s leader, His Majesty Obong Blaise Awakama, made this known during a press conference at the organisation’s secretariat in Abak Local Government Area on Thursday, March 6.
“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 stated.
Awakama said the group was compelled to speak out on what he described as a “vexing national issue” and warned against any political moves to undermine Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who hails from their community.
He argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim of sexual harassment against Akpabio stemmed from a routine change in Senate seating arrangements, which he said should not have been blown out of proportion.
“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.
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“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?” he asked.
He stressed that Akpabio, as a representative of the Annang Nation and the entire country, deserves respect and should not be subjected to what he called a politically motivated attack.
“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,” he said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months on Thursday, March 7, after the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions found her guilty of misconduct and failing to honour an invitation. Her suspension followed her allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio.