Ekaette Akpabio, wife of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has threatened legal action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for accusing her husband of sexual harassment. She described her husband as a disciplined and jovial man, adding that accusations of sexual harassment is false and baseless.
Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged on Arise TV’s The Morning Show that her clash with Akpabio over seating arrangements at the Senate stemmed from sexual harassment she suffered from the Senate President.
The wife of the Senate President recounted the cordial relationship between both families and maintained that the claims were entirely fabricated.
She further stated that she was present at their residence on the alleged date, December 8, 2023, emphasising that the two families have shared a long-standing bond that predates Akpoti-Uduaghan’s marriage.
Insisting that both families enjoy a long-standing cordial relationship that predates Senator Natasha’s marriage to her husband, she said: “I Really don’t understand where this is coming from. And I believe that for someone to go and make such an allegation, there must be a discussion at home, there must have been a sanction or an approval. ‘You are going to say this, go ahead and say it.’ And if the approval came from the husband, our friend, I believe that he would have spoken to me because we are close. He is close to my husband. But if he didn’t give her the approval to go on air and make such an allegation, then the question is, does he have control?”
Insisting that the allegation was unfounded as she was present at the family residence on the day in question, Mrs. Akpabio further said: “If the discussion was taking place in his presence, he could have heard. Even the body gesticulation could have shown the man that there was something wrong. Security men are always with the SP (Senate President). So, for that night, I know I served people, people were at home. The house is never empty when he is around because his constituents will be there, Akwa Ibom people will be there and they never leave him whether the house in the village or the house in Uyo.
“And there is no way that a man that is as disciplined as that can think of taking a woman to his home. He has a lot of respect and regard for me and my children.
“The Senate President is a very responsible man and disciplined. He will always tell me, if you can’t stand the heat, leave the kitchen. I am here to serve my people. They will throw mud at me and I will tell him that this mud is becoming too much, why can’t you do something?”
Calling for an end to the false accusations, she vowed to seek legal redress over the matter.
“I am now the one going for a legal redress.”
Mrs. Akpabio praised her husband’s commitment to women’s inclusion in governance and insisted that he has always upheld respect for women.
