The Deputy Chief Whip, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi has waded into the controversy engulfing the Upper Legislative Chamber, stating that Senate President Godswill Akpabio did not harass Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as she alleged.

This comes after Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed in a viral interview on Arise TV that Akpabio made advances toward her in exchange for supporting a motion about Ajaokuta Steel Company.

According to the Kogi Central lawmaker, her challenges began after she rejected the alleged sexual advances of Akpabio, which resulted in her motions being repeatedly sidelined.

Reacting, Senator Nwaebonyi said he was among the lawmakers who attended Akpabio’s birthday ceremony in December 2023. The lawmaker further stated that the alleged harassment incident did not happen.

As reported by Vanguard, he stated this while speaking on Arise TV on Monday, March 3, 2025.

“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 explained that he drove in the same vehicle with Senator Natasha and her husband from Senator Attah Airport. He sat in the front seat while Natasha and her husband were seated in the back. They attended several programmes with the Senate President within Uyo town before heading to Ikot-Ekpene, Akpabio’s hometown.

“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 said.

“I must tell you for free, and that’s the truth, that Senator Natasha never joined us in inspecting the building of the Senate President. She was seated in 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 said.

He claimed that Senator Natasha came up with the sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio because the Senate President moved her to another seat.



NBA