'We are all Natasha' Sexual harassment row hits Nigeria

Nigeria's third-most powerful man gave a rare apology last July on the floor of the senate, which he leads.

- Eromo Egbejule

Nigeria's third-most powerful man gave a rare apology last July on the floor of the senate, which he leads. Godswill Akpabio had chastised his colleague Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for speaking out of turn, saying: "We are not in a nightclub." But after receiving what he said was a deluge of insulting messages from Nigerians, he apologised publicly a few days later.

In recent weeks, the two have been at the centre of a political row that has gripped the country after an interview that Akpoti-Uduaghan gave to the broadcaster Arise TV last month in which she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.

She alleged that in one incident Akpabio had told her that a motion she was trying to advance could be put to the senate if she "took care" of him. In another, she said that on a tour of his house he had told her - while holding her hand - "I'm going to create time for us to come spend quality moments here. You will enjoy it."

Akpabio, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has denied the claims.

Akpoti-Uduaghan submitted a petition to the senate alleging sexual harassment, but on 6 March the ethics committee struck it out on procedural grounds. It also handed her a six-month suspension without pay, citing her "unruly and disruptive" behaviour during an unrelated argument about seating arrangements.