Abuja, Nigeria — Senate President Godswill Akpabio has made it clear that he will not step down from his position because of accusations he believes are false and unfair.
Akpabio is being accused of sexual harassment by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and also being linked to election cheating in 2019. But he says these are just lies and part of a plan to damage his name for political reasons.
On Thursday, Akpabio spoke in the Senate after Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said that lawmakers should stay focused and not rush to call for someone’s resignation just because they are accused of something. In response, Akpabio said strongly,
“Who told you I was going to step down? I’m not one of those people who will step down over false allegations.”
He even shared an example from the United States, saying,
Some black people in America went to prison for false accusations and stayed there for 25 years. I won’t let that happen to me.”
Akpabio thanked Bamidele for his support and made it clear that unless real evidence is found, he will remain in office and continue his work as Senate President.
In another part of his speech, Akpabio talked about the National Security Summit the Senate wants to hold. He said Minister of Defence Muhammed Badaru must attend the summit officially and follow the proper way of communicating with the Senate.
Akpabio warned that any disagreements should not be talked about in public or “in the market,” as he put it.
“If the Defence Ministry has any issue with what the Senate is doing, they should talk to me or the Senate leaders privately. Speaking out in public will only cause problems,” he said.
Minister Badaru had earlier said the summit might not be very necessary, arguing that the military already had good equipment and plans to fight terrorists. However, he also admitted that summits can help bring new ideas for better strategies.
In simple words, Senate President Akpabio is saying he won’t quit his job just because some people are accusing him. He believes the accusations are lies, and he wants everyone to follow the rules and work together peacefully, especially when it comes to national security.
