The Christian Association of Nigeria has dismissed demands for Senate President Godswill Akpabio to step down following allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Simultaneously, the Pan Niger Delta Forum has criticized the Arewa Consultative Forum, accusing it of exploiting the controversy for political gain.
CAN Calls for Mediation, Opposes Resignation Demands
Speaking on behalf of CAN’s 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Joseph Hayab described the situation as “shameful and unfortunate,” emphasizing the need for respected national figures to intervene and uphold the integrity of the National Assembly.
“There is a need for elders to step in. Akpabio and Natasha have people they respect and highly regard. Members of the National Assembly must take responsibility in handling this matter,” CAN stated during a media engagement in Kaduna.
CAN firmly opposed calls for Akpabio’s resignation, arguing that such demands were premature and unjustified since no conclusive evidence had been presented against him.
“Any group calling for Akpabio’s resignation should desist, as no one has been proven guilty in this matter. Taking sides will only escalate tensions. Allegations of sexual harassment must be treated with seriousness, but also with fairness and sobriety,” the organization added.
The Christian body also urged the media to exercise caution in its coverage, warning that sensationalism could deepen national divisions along gender and regional lines.
It called on politicians to prioritize governance, particularly focusing on the passage of the 2025 national budget.
PANDEF Accuses ACF of Fueling Political Division
Meanwhile, PANDEF has accused the ACF of using the allegations to push a political agenda aimed at discrediting Southern leaders and positioning the North for the presidency in 2027.
In a statement released on Tuesday, PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, dismissed ACF’s claims of bias against Northern senators as a deliberate attempt to incite regional tensions and destabilize President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The press release by the ACF is nothing but a political attack on Southern Nigeria. For the ACF to suggest that only northerners are being suspended and to call on northern senators to rally around their own is a direct threat to national unity,” Ominimini stated.
He recalled that during the 8th Assembly, a Southern senator faced suspension under a Northern Senate President without any interference from PANDEF, emphasizing that legislative processes have always included disciplinary measures.
“The Senate is governed by rules and regulations. Suspensions and disciplinary actions have always been part of legislative proceedings. Anyone who feels aggrieved can seek legal redress. What ACF has done is an open call for division and a threat to the stability of Nigeria,” PANDEF asserted.
The group also condemned what it described as an attempt to fabricate an “anti-Arewa” narrative and called on security agencies to interrogate ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, over statements it deemed inciting.
As CAN urges restraint and PANDEF pushes back against political interference, the allegations against Akpabio continue to generate national debate, raising concerns about governance, unity, and the influence of politics on legislative affairs.
