The National Association for Scrap Artisans and Craft (NASAC) has said that the ongoing feud between Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was part of a larger external conspiracy to damage Nigeria’s reputation.
Speaking during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Kaduna, NASAC’s National Chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim, also known as “Sarkin Yakin IBB,” defended Akpabio, describing him as a disciplined leader being unfairly targeted.
According to him, those supporting Senator Natasha’s claims were misguided.
“I have known Senate President Akpabio for over 30 years. He is a disciplined person who, if he sees a woman dress indecently, would advise her to go and change her clothes,” he said.
He dismissed the sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio, insisting that it was an attempt to malign his character.
“For someone I have known for decades to be accused of sexual harassment, if I remain silent, Allah will not forgive me. I know Akpabio well, and he knows me,” he added.
The NASAC chairman claimed that certain groups were working to tarnish Nigeria’s image globally by weaponizing the allegations against Akpabio.
“This issue is not just about Akpabio; it is an orchestrated attempt to damage the image of the country. They want to paint a picture that Nigerian women cannot succeed in politics unless they offer their bodies in exchange for positions,” he said.
According to him, Senator Natasha’s allegations sent a damaging message to women in leadership.
“She is trying to prove that she is the first woman to challenge such an issue, but in doing so, she is disgracing herself and other Nigerian women. Are we saying that female ministers in this country attained their positions through such means”, he queried.
He further accused Natasha of attempting to destroy Akpabio’s reputation and create disaffection between him and his wife, as well as President Bola Tinubu.
“If we allow this narrative to stand, then tomorrow, any Nigerian leader can be discredited, including the President. This is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly,” he warned.
Alhaji Ibrahim also questioned Natasha’s recent public display of affection with her husband within the Senate Chamber, arguing that it was inappropriate.
“We all saw how she entered the National Assembly last week with her husband adjusting her clothes. They kissed right inside the chamber in front of her colleagues and the media. What was she trying to prove? Was it an attempt to frustrate Akpabio or to embarrass the nation?” he asked.