By Etop Ekanem

A group, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District Indigenes (ISDI) in Lagos, has described the sexual harassment accusation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as a political conspiracy aimed at tarnishing his reputation.

In a statement signed by ISDI President Samuel Usoro, the group expressed unwavering support for Akpabio, referring to him as “our illustrious son and Uncommon Leader.”

The group claimed that Akpabio’s leadership has brought stability and progress to the Senate, which may have unsettled political detractors.

“His result-oriented leadership as Senate President has ensured peace and commendable progress in the Red Chamber. Combined with the progressive governance of President Bola Tinubu, this has likely intimidated political opponents, leading to repeated but unsuccessful attempts to discredit his achievements,” the statement read.

ISDI also questioned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to take the matter public instead of utilizing internal Senate dispute resolution mechanisms.

“As a senator familiar with legislative procedures, she should have exhausted all internal channels before making uncomplimentary and disrespectful remarks against her leader,” the group stated.

The statement further questioned the timing of the allegations, noting that the incident was said to have occurred in December 2023, yet was only brought up in February 2025.

“If this were a genuine concern, why wait over a year to speak up? This delay suggests the involvement of political detractors aiming to damage Akpabio’s reputation and undermine the Senate’s credibility under his leadership,” ISDI argued.

While acknowledging Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to seek legal redress, ISDI expressed confidence that the court would clear Akpabio of any wrongdoing and restore his reputation.

“We firmly believe that the court will vindicate our respected son and leader, proving that these allegations are baseless and politically motivated,” the statement concluded.