The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex sociopolitical body of the South-South geopolitical zone, has raised concerns that the sexual harassment allegations against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, PDP, Kogi Central, are part of a plot to remove him from office.
According to PANDEF, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions are politically motivated, aiming to unseat Akpabio as the Senate President, a position confirmed by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
In a statement on Tuesday, PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, emphasized that the sexual harassment accusations are also intended to jeopardize President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
PANDEF described the allegations as the first step in a broader northern agenda, noting that it is Southern Nigeria’s turn to produce the President in 2027, following two consecutive terms under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
PANDEF stated that the ACF’s comments signal “nothing but a political war against the entire people of Southern Nigeria,” aimed at turning Northern Nigeria against Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in a bid to reclaim power in 2027.
The forum urged the Senate President to stand firm, assuring him that the South will rally behind him against what they called a calculated attack on his office and the Southern-led presidency. PANDEF warned that “the Senate has its own rules,” and the ACF cannot dictate how the Upper Chamber conducts its affairs.
The statement read: “It is very sad that the supposed revered Arewa consultative forum, ACF, has turned itself into a political hired machine for politicians. The press release by the Publicity Secretary of the ACF is nothing but a political war against the entire people of Southern Nigeria aiming to incite the Northern Nigeria against the Administration of President Bola Amed Tinubu to restore power to Northern Nigeria in 2027. In his statements, where he said, ‘at a period when citizens are being overwhelmed by dire existential living conditions on account of the impact of public policies on lives and livelihoods,’ shows very clearly that the 2027.”
According to PANDEF, “Presidential 2nd tenure of President Tinubu is the real target, but they have decided to start in parts, starting with those they feel are the power base of President Tinubu and Southern Nigeria. PANDEF therefore states categorically that it is the turn of the Southern Nigeria to produce the Nigerian President in 2027, having done two consecutive tenures by the North under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
PANDEF also reminded the ACF that the Senate is an independent institution with established rules, adding: “One is glad to read that the ACF knows that this is the 10th Senate of Nigeria, which means that there had been Senate presidents in the past from Northern Nigeria. The Senate is a Chamber of Records. For ACF to insinuate that is only Northerners that are being suspended, and called for Northern Senators to rally round one of their own, is a threat to the unity of this country.”
The forum further highlighted a precedent, pointing out that in the 8th Assembly, a Southern Senator from the South-South geopolitical zone was suspended by a Northern Senate President, yet PANDEF did not interfere or call for solidarity from Southern lawmakers.
“Suspensions and relocation of seats have been the normal things in the business of the legislature. Those who feel offended usually go to a competent court of law. That has been the normal practice. What ACF has just done is a call for Arnachy, Division, and a major threat to the unity of Nigeria.”
Consequently, PANDEF called for the arrest and questioning of the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Mohammad-Baba, by the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Police, stating: “Anybody who incites one part of the country against another part of the country is nothing but a pathway to Anarchy and disunity and it is treasonable as the Unity of the Country is under threat by the ACF press release.”
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PANDEF also questioned the ACF’s claim of an “anti-Arewa agenda,” asking: “It is very strange and sad to hear as stated by the ACF National Publicity Secretary that ‘ACF rues the development and hopes that it is not part of the thinly-veiled anti-Arewa agenda now pervading the Nigerian political process.’ The question is, where is the anti-Arewa agenda coming from? Is it from Southern Nigeria or within Arewa?”
Concluding, PANDEF asserted that the sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President is a politically motivated scheme, stating: “PANDEF has therefore concluded that this political calculation targeted against the Senate president through this well orchestrated sexual harassment accusation is nothing but a political gimmick to fight back against the South South Geoplolitical zone, the bread winner of Nigeria and the entire Southern Nigeria in the believe of ACF that there is an Anti-Arewa agenda in Nigeria. This political sexual harassment accusation is therefore dead on arrival.”
The forum announced plans to convene an extraordinary meeting to strategize against what it sees as a divisive move by the ACF, urging Akpabio to “remain resolute and be confident that we, his people shall do all good things possible to rally round him in the face of this exposed calculated political attack on his office and person and the Southern Nigeria Led presidency. The Senate has its own rules, and ACF can not dictate to the Senate on how to conduct its business.”
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