“Rejecting Akpabio’s Advances Was the Beginning of My Senate Troubles,” Claims Natasha Akpoti.

“It all started on 8th December, 2023, which was a day before his birthday and mine — we are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom because he had a big fanfare in the stadium. Myself, my husband, and a few of his close friends.

“At first, we were in his house in Ikot-Ekpene. Then we all moved to his house in Uyo at about 8pm. He held my hands and he said he wanted to show me round his house. My husband was walking behind us, just the three of us.

“We were walking around from room to room. He showed me the beautiful interior.”

“I noticed that he hastened his pace while still holding my hands and my husband was behind on his phone. But he was catching up wherever he could. He got to this particular sitting room and he said ‘do you like my house’. I said, of course sir.

“He said ‘now that you are a senator, I’m going to create time for us to come and spend quality moment here. You will enjoy it’. At that point, I just pulled away that I don’t understand what he meant.”

The Kogi senator said her husband, who was walking closely behind, asked her what the senate president said, adding that she refused to disclose what Akpabio said.

Her husband would later instruct her not to travel out of the country alone or visit Akpabio’s guest house ever again, she said.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged that when she met Akpabio at his office for repeatedly stepping down her motions, the senate president told her that she could “enjoy a whole lot if you just take care of me”.

On February 25, the senate referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review over the altercation on seating arrangements.