Like in universities, Akpabio should step down over sexual harassment allegation

Godswill Akpabio have been asked to step down from his position as the President of the 10th Nigerian Senate over the sexual allegation levelled against him by the Kogi Central lawmaker, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The call for Akpabio’s resignation as Senate President was made by a socio-political pressure group, Action Collective on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

The group said Akpabio’s continued stay as the president of the current Senate is “morally indefensible” and could erode public trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, by its national coordinator, Teddy Onyejuwe, the group said as with tertiary institutions where lecturers and Vice Chancellors are made by resign or step down from their positions, same should apply in the case of sexual allegation against Akpabio.

Action Collective also cited the recent suspension of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Fasina over a similar allegation.

Onyejuwe said, “The principle behind that law must apply not only to universities but to all institutions, including the National Assembly.”

Calling on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on Akpabio to step down over the issue, Onyejuwe said the president cannot continue to watch in silence while the rights of Nigerian women are being trampled upon and Nigeria’s democracy eroded by institutions saddled with the responsibility to protect them

He said, “This is not merely a personal scandal; it is a litmus test of our national values. If the judiciary fails to uphold justice, it will confirm the perception that Nigeria has little or no room for the advancement and protection of women

“The international community is watching closely. Any action that appears to shield the powerful at the expense of justice will further dent Nigeria’s image globally. This is no longer about one man; it is about the soul of our democracy,” Onyejuwe concluded.