The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing rift between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, NANS National Vice President, Sileola Akinbodunse, urged the President to step in before the situation escalates and causes international embarrassment for the country.
Akinbodunse appealed for calm, encouraging both lawmakers to resolve their differences amicably.
“The National Assembly is a key institution that should be occupied by exemplary and forthright representatives of the people. The face-off between Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Godswill Akpabio should not be allowed to fester,” the statement read.
She further stressed that the sexual harassment allegations leveled against the Senate President must be properly addressed to prevent any potential damage to the country’s reputation. However, she acknowledged that Akpoti-Uduaghan had yet to provide concrete evidence to support her claims.
Akinbodunse also warned that NANS would closely monitor the situation and might stage a protest at the National Assembly if the dispute remains unresolved.
The controversy began when Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an interview with Arise TV on Friday, accused Akpabio of making sexual advances toward her on two separate occasions. She claimed the Senate President’s actions, including her seating arrangement in the chamber, were attempts to frustrate her legislative duties.
Comparing her ordeal to that of a student failing an exam for refusing a lecturer’s advances, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that her claims should be taken seriously.
In response, Akpabio, through his media consultant Kenny Okulogbo, dismissed the allegations as baseless and fictitious.