Israel Umoh
Afe Annang, a socio-cultural organization in Akwa Ibom State has reaffirmed its support to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, vowing to resist any attempt by anybody to use a female to defame him.
The apex socio-cultural organization in the country in unison rose to reject the ongoing backlash on alleged sexual harassment leveled by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senator Akpabio.
Senator Natasha who had alleged sexual harassment against Akpabio on Arise TV later submitted a formal petition against him during a plenary of the Upper Chamber on Wednesday, March 5 though rejected because she signed it again resubmitted the petition during Senate plenary on Thursday, March 6.
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At an enlarged press conference at Afe Annang Secretariat, Awiwit Afaha Obong in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday, March 6, Obong Blaise Udofia Awakama, the Itai Afe Annang, while addressing the press, said the body is compelled to react to vexing national issue causing widespread publicity in the mass media- social, electronic and print- regarding accusations and counter accusations in relation to Senators Akpabio and Natasha.
“The issues at stake as we gather from the mass media include routine change of seating allocation in the Senate affecting Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan which she sees as offensive and discriminatory, leading her to further suggest sexual harassment by the distinguished Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio. How did an ordinary routine change of seating arrangements, arising from the incidence of Senators cross-carpeting, necessitating such changes, become issues of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment?
“Still arising from our studies of mass media reports on the matters, we are able to find that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a suit in the court against distinguished and respected Senator Godswill Akpabio, our respected and respectable son, in which she did not allege or include any reference to sexual harassment by the Senate President.
“We have seen and listened to published/recorded video interviews of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, during which she claimed to have been in Senator Akpabio’s house together with her husband. We are at a loss to know if Senator Akpabio and her husband were jointly, severally and mutually harassing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Other Senators, as reported in some of the published media accounts, claim that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was lying as they were physically present during their visit to the distinguished Senate President’s House in Uyo. What is actually going on with this matter?”
“In all of these, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has not filed any complaint with the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee, against the Senate President. Rather, she approached a Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the court to restrain the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, from conducting a disciplinary proceeding against her in the Senate. The court complied with her request.
“As if this court action by the accusing Senator was not sufficient as a legal stunt to stop proper Senate attention to her accusations against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, there are other media reports published in the media that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has organized protesters to demonstrate at the National Assembly Complex that the Senate President must resign.
“We want to State that: every Senator represents a people. Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio represents the people of Annang Nation, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State. He represents the entire Nation/people of Nigeria, as the Senate President.”
Obong Awakama recalled that sitting arrangement was the genesis of the problem and snowballed into sexual harassment allegations by Senator Natasha, noted that “We are not satisfied with just suspension by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, we want the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District to recall their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to properly advise or replace her in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.”
Despite the media attacks and other backlash by people against Akpabio over unfounded but peddled allegations, he said ”We are proud and supportive of him.’’
According to him, ‘‘If there is an organized political plot/controversy to ease him out of office, we shall not sit and sit idly by, to see the adversaries succeed. Annang nation has sacrificed and contributed a lot to our dear nation- Nigeria- and her son and the Senate President deserves to be treated with honour and decorum. He must be so treated.
‘‘A false claim of sexual harassment, which has become a matter of litigation should not and cannot be used as an instrument of political harassment, by political antagonists.’’
The press conference was attended by Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien, former Senate Chief Whip; Mr. Udom Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Barr. Nse Ekanem, former Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly; Sir Udo H. Isobara, former State Accountant General/Permanent Secretary; Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang, retired Permanent Secretary in the state; Prof. Kingsley Akpabio of the University of Uyo.
Others were Professor (Bishop) Ahaziah Umanah, Mass Communication guru/Chairman, Board of Directors, Redemption Radio, Abak; Sir Emmanuel Umanah, a one-time Commissioner for Industry, defunct Cross River State; Dr. E. U. Otong living in US; Rt. Hon. Friday Iwok, a two-term member, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly; Rt. Hon. Sunny Udom, former member of House of Representatives and Mr. Uyobong Udom, a legal practitioner, among others.
