Suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of directing her to harass ministers for kickbacks, detailing alleged coercion within the National Assembly. “He said I should report progress—meaning returns,” she said.
Suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of pressuring her to harass ministers and heads of agencies in exchange for kickbacks. In an interview with journalist Adeola Fayehun, she alleged that as chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Akpabio expected her to extract “returns” from officials under her oversight.
“He said don’t I know the meaning of reporting progress,” Akpoti-Uduaghan recounted, saying she was later told by a senior senator that it meant giving “money, projects, other perks” to Akpabio.
She claimed Akpabio told her, “If you don’t know how to harass the ministers… you’re not capable of running the committee.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan also reaffirmed earlier allegations of sexual harassment and distanced herself from budget padding, calling attention to systemic pressure in the Senate.
She was suspended in March 2025 over alleged rule violations and has since engaged in legal disputes with Akpabio, whom she continues to accuse of abuse and misconduct.