Senate Erupts as Fasuyi Alleges Akpoti-Uduaghan Once Accused Fayemi of Harassment
In the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday as Senator Cyril Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North, claimed that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously accused former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi of sexual harassment. His statement came just moments after Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central, submitted a petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a similar allegation.
Fasuyi’s remarks intensified the already tense atmosphere in the Senate chamber, as lawmakers from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) pushed for Akpabio to reject Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition. They cited a Senate rule prohibiting lawmakers from submitting petitions they personally authored, arguing that the petition was in violation of parliamentary procedure.
Fayemi, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has yet to respond directly to the allegations. However, Fasuyi revealed that the former governor intends to submit his own petition to the Senate in response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims.
The controversy follows a viral video that circulated over the weekend in which Akpoti-Uduaghan accused an unnamed minister of sexual harassment. While the senator did not name the individual in the video, the issue has since sparked heated debates within the legislative chamber.
As Fasuyi made his claims, opposition lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attempted to shout him down. The tension escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan, visibly outraged, stood up in protest, declaring, “I am being judged harshly.”
The chamber briefly descended into chaos as lawmakers from opposing sides engaged in a shouting match. However, in a decisive move, Senate President Akpabio ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition would stand, despite strong objections from some APC senators.
