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Natasha; Igbo Group Lauds Senate for Standing by Eye Witness Account Rendered by Deputy Chief Whip
By Our Reporter
Ohaneze Stakeholders Forum has commended the Nigerian Senate for the solidarity with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio over the refusal to probe the allegation of sex harassment against Senator Natasha , representing Kogi Central.
A statement released on Wednesday accused Kogi lawmaker of inadvertently trying to blackmail and discredit the Senate President.
According to the President and Secretary of OSF, Ikechuckwu Nwolisa and Okonkwo Chimdi lauded the Senate and Nigerians for standing by the Senate President on the allegation, describing it as an attempt to tar the hard earned image and integrity of the leaders of the National Assembly.
While acknowledging Senators and Nigerians for their firm stance, in line with justice and fairness, stating that their position of treating the allegation with ignominy was laudable.
Ohaneze Stakeholders Forum OSF accused Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan of fabricating falsehood, lies as her way of life and now against the Senate President, saying that she lack credibility and integrity.
For rehearsing an old worn out stories, Natasha had a premeditated plans to run down the good name already made by Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly in his quest for nations building.
The body asked Senator Natasha to draw an advise from her elderly colleague, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa who opined the situation as pecuniary and unthinkable.
While describing Senator Natasha as controversial, the body gave an instance of her acceptance of Chairmanship of local content committee among many others and her attraction of five LNG project to Kogi state, saying she is always in the news foe wrong reasons .
“An Igbo group, Ohaneze Stakeholders Forum (OSF) has lambasted the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over the allegation of sexual harassment she levelled against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
“OSF in a press statement issued on Wednesday accused accused the Kogi federal lawmaker of peddling falsehood in order to blackmail and discredit the Senate President.”
“The group in the statement signed by its President, Ikechukwu Nwolisa and Secretary, Okonkwo Chimdi, however, hailed the Senate and Nigerians for standing solidly behind Akpabio in the unfolding premeditated grand designs to impugn the integrity of the leader of the National Assembly.”
“OSF said it was noteworthy that the senators and Nigerians stood by the truth, fairness and justice by treating the allegation against Akpabio with ignominy that it rightly deserved.”
“OSF said the latest antics of Akpoti-Uduaghan against Akpabio showed that she lacked integrity and credibility, expressing concerns that Akpoti-Uduaghan was in the habit of notoriously fabricating falsehood and lies against accomplished male citizens in order to remain relevant and boost her dented image.”
“OSF said, “Akpoti-Uduaghan is merely “rehearsing an old, worn out stories, which she notoriously peddle against high-profile men to blackmail them. Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, is undoubtedly not the first to be so accused by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of sexually harassing her. For Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing every man of wanting to sleep with her is now a slogan.”
“Just as Senator Florence Ita-Giwa said that that no right thinking distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would descend this low to blackmail a man for pecuniary gains. It is utterly despicable.”
“The questions begging for answers in the show of shame by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan are many. Why is Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan always in the news for wrong reasons? Why is she always alleging sexual harassment in order to trend in the public psyche? Is this the only option available to her to seek relevance? Her actions and public utterances are appalling and unbecoming of a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“Why did she not cry wolves of being sexually harassed when she was made the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content? Why did she accept the Chairmanship of the Local Content Committee from someone who was harassing her sexually? She ought to have rejected the appointment as a devlish ploy to lure and entice her into an unholy romantic journey with the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
“This controversial Senator didn’t also raise an alarm that she was being harassed sexually when she leveraged on her privileged position as chairperson of the Senate committee on Local Content to influence the location of five gas facilities at her state, Kogi state. It’s sad and more disturbing that her co-traveller in this journey to pull down the President of the Senate, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, who is her husband, could not persuade his wife to site one of the gas facilities in his home state, Delta State, which is a major oil producing state.”
“She has to wait until she was removed as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content in February 2025 apparently for misconduct and allocated another seat before she came to her senses that Akpabio requested for an amorous relationship with her in December 2023. Why wait for this long before appearing on the national television to spill the milk? It shows that her action was a pure blackmail.”
“We believe the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Onyekachi Onwaebonyi that the story of sexual harassment was borne out of frustration of being removed as chairperson of the Grade A and lucrative Senate Committee on Local Content and nothing more. Having been removed, she decided to deploy her usual tactics by blackmailing the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio.”
“It’s her normal ways of life. Many prominent male citizens have become her victims- we can name them, former Governor Yahaya Bello, Senator Dino Melaye and and a former presidential aide, Reno Omokri. Possibly Senator Godswill Akpabio would not be the last man to be blackmailed by this desperate lady,” added OSF, in the statement.
Meanwhile, the Ohaneze group offered advice to the embattled Kogi Senator.
OSF counselled her to be creative and tactful going forward by initiating fresh ideas to achieve her goal of blackmailing innocent men.
The group said Nigerians are no longer cajoled by her old-fashioned stories of accusing innocent prominent Nigerian men of sexually harassing her.
“These tactics of pointing accusing fingers of sexual harassment at men who have disagreement with her is worn out and no longer giving her desired outcome. She should seek other ways of carrying out her trade of blackmailing men to advance her political career.”
OSF praised the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Onwaebonyi for his boldness and courage in giving true and authentic accounts of the senators’ attendance of Akpabio’s birthday ceremony in December 2023.
According to the group, Onwaebonyi’s accurate account of the sequence of events which took place during the Senate President’s birthday celebrations in Uyo and Ikot-Ekpene in December 2023 has put a lie to the accusation by Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“In that bold interview on the national television, Senator Onyekachi Onwaebonyi, the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, has ended the controversy generated by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unwarranted vituperations. From the account of Senator Onwaebonyi, it was clear that Akpoti-Uduaghan was out to blackmail the President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio and win undeserved public sympathy.”
“We advise that whoever misses the interview to look for the tape and listen to it in order to be better informed and arrive at rational judgement and draw incontrovertible conclusions,” the statement further stated.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the final forfeiture of N1.29 billion to the Federal Government in favour of Sterling Bank Plc, following allegations of fraudulent withdrawals due to a system glitch.
According to a statement released on Saturday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Justice Deinde Dipeolu granted the final forfeiture order after hearing a motion on notice dated January 8 and filed by EFCC counsel, Hannatu KofarNaisa.
The funds were reportedly part of a larger sum of N2.5 billion unlawfully withdrawn by certain individuals after a system malfunction at the bank.
Acting on a petition from Sterling Bank, the EFCC launched investigations that led to the tracing of the stolen funds to several bank accounts.
The affected accounts include:M Sharif Inter-Trading and Marketing Company Ltd’s UBA account (N900 million),Mustapha Abubakar’s UBA account (N255.8 million),Mustapha Sharif Abubakar’s UBA account (N12.2 million),Jaiz Bank account (N41.1 million),First Bank account (N19 million), and and Sterling Bank Imal account (N30.8 million).
An interim forfeiture order was earlier granted by the court on March 12, with the directive that it be published in a national newspaper to allow any interested parties to contest the forfeiture. The publication appeared in The Punch on March 24.
KofarNaisa told the court that no objections were filed, and urged the court to grant the final forfeiture as the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
Justice Dipeolu, in his ruling, said, “Having gone through the motion and attachments, I find the application meritorious and same is accordingly granted,” ordering the final forfeiture of the N1.29 billion to the Federal Government.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has urged the National Assembly to expedite the passage of the bill aimed at establishing state police forces.
During a joint meeting with members of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Kaduna on Saturday, Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, emphasized the need for this legislative action. He also called for a comprehensive review of the nation’s security strategy to effectively address the recent surge in Boko Haram attacks and violent incidents in the north-central region.
Yahaya indicated that the forum reached a consensus regarding tax reform bills, highlighting the collaborative efforts involved. He commended President Bola Tinubu for engaging with stakeholders and reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive governance.
Through platforms such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council, Yahaya stated that a productive path forward has been identified, emphasizing the importance of a cooperative approach in managing intergovernmental relations for the benefit of the populace.
The Gombe governor expressed significant concern over the state of infrastructure in Northern Nigeria, noting that many previously awarded projects have suffered from neglect. While recognizing President Tinubu’s dedication to completing key infrastructure initiatives, such as the Kaduna-Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line and the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressway, he pointed out that other vital projects, including the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line and the Kano-Maiduguri expressway, remain unaddressed.
Yahaya stressed the necessity for innovative financing solutions, such as public-private partnerships and infrastructure bonds, to bridge the existing gaps and establish a robust foundation for agricultural production and industrial growth.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the forum declared its intention to create inter-state platforms aimed at enhancing surveillance along shared borders. Additionally, they resolved to collaborate with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to develop strategies for bolstering support for federal security forces.
The forum reiterated its backing for the establishment of state police, urging the National Assembly to take swift action in enacting the necessary legal framework for its implementation.
Currently, the state police bill is under consideration in the National Assembly, proposing to move the term “police” from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
However, some critics caution that such a system could be misused by state governors to suppress dissent. Supporters argue that state police would empower local authorities to effectively address security challenges without relying solely on federal intervention.
Two members of the 135 Special Forces Battalion are currently under investigation for suspected collaboration with ISWAP terrorists, raising significant concerns about national security in Yobe State.
Security operatives intercepted and analyzed the soldiers’ phone conversations, which indicated their involvement in the May 9 abduction of commuters along the Gashua–Azare highway.
A reliable source involved in the investigation reported that the soldiers allegedly disclosed the movements of their patrol team along the Buratai–Kamuya–Azare–Gashua route, facilitating an ambush by ISWAP fighters that temporarily hindered civilian travel until a counter-offensive successfully dispersed the terrorists.
Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama indicated that this betrayal likely allowed the terrorists to orchestrate the ambush. However, the same battalion’s troops quickly intervened, leading to the rescue of four kidnapped civilians and the recovery of weapons and equipment.
Military authorities have initiated a comprehensive internal inquiry into the incident. The two soldiers are presently in custody, and their identities are being withheld pending further investigation.
This development has raised alarms about potential internal sabotage and underscores the urgent need for enhanced intelligence monitoring within military ranks to prevent future breaches and safeguard the integrity of ongoing counter-terrorism efforts in the North-East.
A senior security official emphasized, “The system will not tolerate any uniformed personnel found collaborating with enemies of the state. The fight against insurgency must be supported by unwavering loyalty and trust.”