Senator Godswill Akpabio is facing new sexual harassment claims, and a civil advocacy group called the Action Collective has called for his immediate resignation. According to the group, these accusations cast doubt on the National Assembly’s credibility and damage Nigeria’s image abroad. In a statement released on Thursday, the collective’s National Coordinator, Mr. Teddy Onyejuwe, expressed grave concerns about the message that continues to be sent by Akpabio’s leadership regarding Nigeria’s dedication to holding him accountable and combating gender-based violence. This was reported by Leadership.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan recently presented allegations that rekindled public scrutiny of Akpabio’s alleged misbehavior in the past, which led to this demand. Senator Akpabio’s character has been called into doubt for quite some time, according to Onyejuwe. In 2020, Joy Nunieh, who had been the acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), made public accusations against him, claiming that she had slapped him in resistance to his sexual advances while staying at his guest house in Abuja.
The Action Collective contended that Akpabio’s competence for public office is seriously called into question due to the pattern of claims against him, even though he has strongly denied the 2020 harassment accusation and threatened legal action for defamation. The group stressed that any public person with such a contentious history would have willingly resigned to allow an impartial probe to take place in a well-functioning democracy. They brought attention to the fact that Nigeria must not display leadership that women view as insensitive or hostile.