By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna The National Association for Scrap Artisans and Craft (NASAC) has alleged that the ongoing feud be...
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The National Association for Scrap Artisans and Craft (NASAC) has alleged that the ongoing feud between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is part of a broader external conspiracy aimed at damaging Nigeria’s reputation.
Speaking at a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Kaduna, NASAC’s National Chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim, also known as Sarkin Yakin IBB, defended Akpabio, describing him as a disciplined leader who is being unfairly targeted.
According to Ibrahim, those supporting Senator Natasha’s claims are misguided. “I have known Senate President Akpabio for over 30 years. He is a disciplined man who, if he sees a woman dressed indecently, would advise her to change her clothes,” he said.
Dismissing the allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, he insisted they were an attempt to malign the Senate President’s character. “For someone I have known for decades to be accused of such an act—if I remain silent, Allah will not forgive me. I know Akpabio well, and he knows me,” he added.
Ibrahim claimed that certain groups were using the allegations to tarnish Nigeria’s global image. “This issue is not just about Akpabio; it is an orchestrated attempt to damage the country’s reputation. They want to create the impression that Nigerian women can only succeed in politics by offering their bodies in exchange for positions,” he said.
He further argued that Natasha’s allegations send a damaging message about women in leadership. “She wants to appear as a pioneer in addressing such issues, but in doing so, she is disgracing herself and other Nigerian women. Are we saying that female ministers in this country attained their positions through such means?”
Accusing Natasha of attempting to ruin Akpabio’s reputation and create discord between him, his wife, and President Bola Tinubu, Ibrahim warned that allowing such narratives to stand could set a dangerous precedent. “If this continues, any Nigerian leader, including the President, could be similarly discredited,” he said.
He also questioned Natasha’s recent public display of affection with her husband in the Senate Chamber, calling it inappropriate. “We all saw how she entered the National Assembly last week with her husband adjusting her clothes. They kissed right inside the chamber in front of her colleagues and the media. What was she trying to prove? Was it an attempt to frustrate Akpabio or to embarrass the nation?”
Ibrahim maintained that Akpabio has always supported women, recalling an instance during his tenure as Akwa Ibom governor when he facilitated land allocation for a mosque. “When some northern leaders requested land for a mosque, Akpabio promised to allocate it the next day. He fulfilled that promise, and today, there is a mosque built by A.A. Rano in Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom State. This is a man who loves Nigeria and its people,” he said.
Ridiculing the harassment claims, Ibrahim stated, “Some say Akpabio is a ‘sexy man,’ but every man is sexy. However, I can swear that Akpabio would never do such a thing.”
He also expressed concerns about the broader implications of the controversy. “We are advocating for a female president in Nigeria. If that happens, will she also be kissing people in the chamber? This is a divisive agenda pushed by external forces to destabilize Nigeria,” he alleged.
When asked about calls for an investigation into the matter, Ibrahim said he supported a proper inquiry but criticized Natasha’s approach. “Akpabio is not against an investigation, but it should be conducted respectfully. Why did Natasha boldly enter the Senate with her husband? The Senate President calmly received her complaint, but why did she kiss her husband in the chamber? Even as a Muslim, she should know better. Would the Christian community accept such an act?”
He concluded by urging Nigerians to resist any attempt to use the controversy to divide the country.
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