Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has condemned Senate President Godswill Akpabio for what he described as an attempt to politicize and trivialize the serious concerns Nigerians have raised about the due process in the National Assembly. Saraki's remarks came in response to Akpabio’s claim that recent calls for accountability over the sexual harassment allegations made by Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan were part of a plot to remove him from office due to his Niger Delta background.
In a statement shared on his official social media handle, Saraki stated:
"The attention of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office has been drawn to the statement made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio while addressing the leaders of some ‘youth ethnic groups’ on Friday that certain individuals from Kwara and Adamawa states want him removed because he is from the Niger Delta region."
Saraki emphasized that at no point had he called for Akpabio’s resignation. Instead, he had only advised that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations be thoroughly investigated in a manner that ensured transparency and preserved the integrity of the Senate.
Saraki's statement clarified his stance:
“Dr. Saraki, in his last comment on the Akpabio-Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan crisis, never called on the Senate President to resign or step aside. Rather, he urged the Senate President to be conscious of the fact that perception is a reality and, therefore, he should avoid treating the allegations by the (Kogi Central) senator in a manner that will create the perception that the Senate as an institution is trying to cover up issues bordering on sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and abuse of office.”
Saraki emphasized that his concerns were rooted in safeguarding the credibility of the legislative institution, not personal or political rivalry.
"This issue is definitely not one in which Akpabio should exploit ethnic sentiments, political division, or regional proclivity. This will neither be in his own interest nor that of the institution over which he is presiding. He should face the reality on ground and do what is right,” he added.
Saraki also underlined the significance of the allegations, noting that they addressed critical issues that resonate deeply with women across the country, making it crucial that they be handled with the utmost seriousness.
"The former Senate President believes that when a sensitive matter suggesting sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and mistreatment of women comes up anywhere, it evokes the pains that thousands of women across the nooks and crannies of our society experience daily," the statement concluded.
Saraki called for openness and transparency in addressing the allegations, stressing that justice must not only be done but should be clearly seen to be done to maintain the integrity of the Senate.
