The ongoing controversy surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has vindicated former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, according to Senator Sunday Karimi, who represents Kogi West in the Senate.
Speaking to journalists in Lokoja on Sunday, Karimi asserted that the recent dispute between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio confirms Bello’s past concerns about her conduct.
“Former Governor Yahaya Bello must have seen it coming,” Karimi stated, referencing the prior tensions between Bello and Akpoti-Uduaghan before the National Assembly elections.
He further explained that he and other lawmakers from Kogi had made significant efforts to prevent the state from being dragged into controversy.
“Other Kogi lawmakers and I played major roles in ensuring that the state was not brought to ridicule, but no amount of reasoning could prevail. Our intervention was rebuffed,” he said.
Karimi lamented that despite repeated warnings and guidance, Akpoti-Uduaghan had chosen to ignore advice from her colleagues.
Read also: Affordable Places to Live as a Remote Worker in Lagos
“All our admonition to her fell on deaf ears. One can therefore come to terms with the fact that former Gov Yahaya Bello saw it coming,” he added.
The senator expressed concern that the situation had gone beyond just affecting Kogi State but had also cast a shadow over Nigeria as a whole.
“Sen. Natasha has not only rubbished the perception of the state; from the events happening now in Nigeria, she has also embarrassed the entire country,” Karimi remarked.
The controversy stems from allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Senate President Akpabio by Akpoti-Uduaghan, an issue that has fueled intense debate within the National Assembly. Her refusal to comply with Senate rules ultimately led to her suspension.
Karimi described the episode as a “needless embarrassment” that could have been avoided had Akpoti-Uduaghan heeded the advice given to her. He maintained that the unfolding drama within the Senate was a reflection of poor judgment on her part.
As tensions continue to rise, the controversy remains a focal point in Nigeria’s political landscape, sparking discussions about conduct and discipline within the country’s legislative arm.