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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been accused by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of requesting that she harass ministers and agency heads in order to obtain bribes and personal favors, according to Business Day..CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
As Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Akpoti-Uduaghan asserted in an interview with US-based journalist Adeola Fayehun that she was expected to extract returns from ministries under her supervision, such as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the Ministry of Petroleum, and the Ministry of Gas. She claimed that when Akpabio requested her to “report progress,” which she initially took to be a performance review, their relationship worsened.
She claimed that once she submitted a formal report, Akpabio chuckled and directed her to a senior senator, who purportedly clarified that “reporting progress” meant sending money, jobs, and other benefits. According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, committee heads were under pressure to produce financial or material returns to Akpabio. She stated, “He told me I wasn’t fit to lead the committee if I couldn’t harass ministers or the executive secretary.” Additionally, she said that she ignored Akpabio’s repeated requests to bring the NCDMB executive secretary to him. She said, “I never forced any minister to do anything for him.”
Although Akpoti-Uduaghan acknowledged that politicians frequently face pressure to appease political interests, she further rejected any role in budget padding. In addition, she reiterated her previous charge of sexual harassment against Akpabio and promised not to back down or issue an apology. In March 2025, the senator was suspended for allegedly violating parliamentary rules. Since then, her suspension has led to legal disputes and public outcry.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
