Senate President Godswill Akpabio has categorically ruled out stepping down from his position, describing recent allegations of sexual harassment and electoral misconduct as part of a broader campaign of defamation and political intimidation.
Facing calls from civil society groups and opposition figures to resign in the wake of damning accusations—most notably from suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan—Akpabio took to the Senate floor on Thursday to deliver a pointed rebuttal: “I will not step down because there is no basis in truth, law, or due process that compels me to do so.”
He dismissed the allegations as “desperate tactics” deployed by political rivals aiming to derail the Senate’s legislative progress and weaken its leadership.
“If I resign today on the basis of unproven claims, I will set a dangerous precedent for this institution—one where anyone can be brought down by smear campaigns and media trials.”
Akpabio stressed that accountability must be pursued through established legal channels, not public hysteria or political vendettas.
“No formal charges have been filed. No investigative report has indicted me. Am I to hand over the institution of the Senate to rumour and innuendo?”
He further argued that stepping down would not only compromise his own integrity but risk destabilizing the Senate’s reform agenda.
“The work we are doing—on electoral reform, tax restructuring, and national security—cannot be abandoned because of politically motivated noise.”
The Senate President also pointed to historical examples of public figures who were later vindicated after suffering reputational damage from false allegations.
“I will not allow the Senate to be turned into a battlefield for character assassination,” he said.
Akpabio’s defiant stance has split opinion. Some within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) see him as a victim of orchestrated sabotage, while others quietly question whether his continued leadership is sustainable amid growing public distrust.
Nevertheless, Akpabio insisted his conscience is clear. “I will not be pushed out by a mob. If I must go, let it be through lawful means—not pressure, not propaganda, and certainly not lies.”
