Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, has publicly expressed solidarity with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the embattled Kogi Central lawmaker, who is facing intense backlash following her allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a series of posts on her X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, Ezekwesili declared her support for Akpoti-Uduaghan with a resounding message, writing:
"Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, You. Will. Never. Walk. Alone."
Additionally, Ezekwesili issued an open letter to the Nigerian Senate, where she made two key demands:
- A thorough, transparent investigation into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition against Akpabio, with the findings openly discussed on the Senate floor.
- The appointment of an independent investigator to lead the probe, with the process elevated to a public hearing to ensure full transparency and public confidence.
Ezekwesili’s intervention has further amplified calls for accountability, gender justice, and protection of women in leadership, placing the Nigerian Senate under renewed public scrutiny in handling the high-profile case.
In the post captioned “Letter to the Nigerian Senate,” Ezekwesili said:
“The Petition of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Must Be Independently Investigated and Openly Discussed in a Public Hearing that the Accused Does Not Preside.
Two Demands:
1. Swiftly Appoint an Independent Investigator on the Petition of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. Cc: @icpcnigeria
2. Elevate the status of the proceedings on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Ethics and Privileges Committee into a Public Hearing for full transparency and disclosure