‘I Am An Eyewitness, Akpabio Never Touched Her’ — Deputy Chief Whip Counters Natasha’s Harassment Claims

Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, has refuted the sexual harassment claims made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Naijaonpoint reports that Senator Natasha, representing Kogi Central, alleged that Akpabio made inappropriate advances toward her during a visit to his residence in December 2023 to celebrate his birthday.

She further claimed that a similar incident occurred when she later visited his office to discuss her motion on the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

However, Senator Nwaebonyi, who attended the birthday event, dismissed these claims, asserting that Akpabio never approached Senator Natasha in such a manner.

“On the issue of sexual harassment as alleged by Natasha, as God would have it, I am an eyewitness, and as I posted on social media, I narrated what transpired. On that fateful day of December 8, 2023, I was among the Senators that attended the birthday ceremony of the Senate President,” Nwaebonyi said during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, March 3, 2025.

He explained that he traveled with Senator Natasha and her husband in the same vehicle to the event, participating in various activities with the Senate President throughout the day.

Upon arrival at Akpabio’s residence, he recalled that Senator Natasha complained about discomfort from her shoes and remained seated with her husband while other senators toured the house.

“I remember very well, as we were coming down from the vehicle, she was complaining about her shoes paining her, and she and her husband (had) to stay back while I rushed inside to join other senators to inspect the building of the Senate President,” he recounted.

Nwaebonyi emphasized that Natasha never accompanied them during the house tour and insisted that Akpabio never made any inappropriate remarks or advances toward her.

“I must tell you for free, and that’s the truth, that Senator Natasha never joined us inspecting the building of the Senate President. She was seated at the parlour with her husband. The Senate President took us around, took us to the chapel, and called those who were Catholic Senators to join him in a Holy Mass.

“We celebrated the Holy Mass and, at the end of the day, ended up in the garden as he hosted us. There was never a time when the Senate President touched Senator Natasha.

“There was never a time the Senate President told Senator Natasha do you like my house? We will come back to have a good time. That never happened, Senator Natasha knows that very well,” Nwaebonyi added.

He suggested that Senator Natasha’s allegations stemmed from dissatisfaction over her reassignment to a different seat in the Senate.

“It is disheartening and unbelievable for a Senator of the Federal Republic to, out of mere provocation—simply because you were given a new seat and probably your committee was changed—get up to lay a false allegation against a man that is old enough to be your father,” Nwaebonyi alleged.

Regarding any possible Senate action on the matter, Nwaebonyi stated that the legislative body would not act on unverified claims.

“The Senate can’t act on hearsay. Senator Natasha has never presented any issue before us,” he concluded.