By Pascal Ibe
Many Facebook pages have shared a video showing the current Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, apologizing to Senator Natasha over the seating arrangement drama, claiming it was recent.
In a 5-minute video, Mr Akpabio was seen acting remorseful, saying he would never deliberately denigrate a woman.
A Facebook page known as Gida Gida TV posted the and wrote, “Video: Akpabio Begs Senator Natasha The
Senate President of Nigeria, Akpabio, apologizes to Senator Natasha as she regains her seat in the esteemed red chambers. Can we now say the case is closed??
A Facebook user, Ayabowei Kabowei, shared the same and claimed that Akpabio renders a public apology to his colleague Natasha.
Another Facebook user, Zainab Nasir also published the video alongside the claim.
This video currently circulates on many WhatsApp groups.
Background
On 20th February, a dramatic confrontation unfolded in the Senate as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) clashed over a seating arrangement dispute.
The altercation began when Senator Natasha discovered that her seat had been reassigned upon resumption of the session.
Refusing to comply with the new arrangement, she challenged the decision, sparking a heated exchange.
Tahir Monguno, Chief Whip raised a point of order, referencing sections of the Senate rule book to justify the reassignment.
Akpabio ruled in favor of the order.
However, when Senator Natasha raised her hand to speak, she was denied recognition for not addressing the chamber from her newly assigned seat.
Unrelenting, she protested loudly, directly confronting the Senate President, “I don’t care if I am silenced, I am not afraid. You have denied me my privilege.
On February 28, Natasha accused Akpabio, of sexual harassment.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan made the allegation during an interview with Arise Television on Friday.
The senator detailed an incident from 8 December 2023, when she and her husband visited Mr Akpabio’s residence in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State.
During the visit, she alleged that the senate president held her hand, led her around his house, and then made inappropriate advances towards her, even in her husband’s presence.
Verification
Simple checks by FACTWATCH Nigeria showed this video of Akpabio apologizing to Senator Natasha, occurred in July 2024 not recently.
This was when Natasha commented on a motion in July 2024 without the permission of the Senate President, an action which contravened the Senate standing order.
While trying to correct the Kogi lawmaker for the misconduct, Akpabio told her to follow the rules and that the Senate is not a nightclub where anybody can talk anyhow.
The plenary session where Akpabio apologized to Natasha in 2024 was covered by Channels Television.
You can also read the news publication of the incident here and here.
On Sunday, Eseme Eyiboh, special adviser on media to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the senate could not investigate the allegations leveled against his principal by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Eyiboh said Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kogi central senator, has not submitted any petition about the alleged sexual harassment to the national assembly.
He added that the Kogi senator did not mention sexual harassment in her suit filed against the senate president.
Verdict
The video showing Nigeria’s Senate President apologizing to Senator Natasha happened in 2024 and is not recent. Therefore, this claim is MISLEADING.
