Pro-Natasha protesters clash with Akpabio’s supporters in Abuja
By Jeffrey Agbo
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the National Assembly on Wednesday as her supporters staged a protest demanding the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
A rival group of demonstrators backing Akpabio also gathered in a counter-protest.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, recently accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her during a visit to his residence in December 2023 and again while she sought clarity on her Ajaokuta Steel motion. She previously clashed with the Senate President over her seating arrangement, claiming deliberate isolation from other lawmakers.
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As the senator arrived near the Mopol gate, her supporters erupted in cheers, waving placards with slogans such as “Akpabio Must Go” and “We Stand With Senator Natasha.” Among the demonstrators were members of civil society groups calling for a thorough investigation into her allegations.
Meanwhile, pro-Akpabio supporters staged a counter-protest, carrying banners with messages such as “We say no to Natasha’s serial blackmailing” and “Akpabio treated Natasha as a daughter and friend.”
Earlier in the day, security personnel, including some in plain clothes, dispersed an initial wave of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s supporters with tear gas at the National Assembly Arcade opposite Eagle Square.
The demonstrators, who gathered around 9 a.m., were forced to retreat but later regrouped at a nearby location to continue their protest.
