Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has declared that he will not step down from his position in response to growing calls from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other critics demanding his resignation over allegations of sexual harassment and electoral malpractice.

The calls for Akpabio’s resignation stem from allegations made by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accused him of sexual harassment, as well as claims linking him to electoral fraud in the 2019 elections.

On Thursday, while responding to remarks made on the Senate floor by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), Akpabio made it clear that he had no intention of bowing to pressure based on what he described as baseless and false allegations.

He stated: “I will not have answered you, but for the fact that you said those who would have asked you to step down, who told you I was going to step down?

“You know, if you watch the color of America, there are black people who went to prison for false allegations. Some were there for 25 years. So I’m not one of those people who will step down over false allegations. When it is eventually proven that the allegation is false, they will say, ‘Oh well… I’m not that bad.’”

He added: “So if you had that in mind, please cancel it. I must thank you for the words you spoke today.”

Akpabio also addressed concerns raised by the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, over the planned two-day national security summit organized by the Senate.

The Senate President made it clear that the Minister must attend the summit in his official capacity and should communicate properly with the legislature instead of making dismissive remarks in public.

He warned: “If Defence has any issue with any resolution of the Senate, it shouldn’t do so in the market. It should get in touch with the Senate President or Senate Leaders. It should get in touch with us, not speak in the open. It will only lead to an executive-legislative brouhaha. We will address this at the appropriate time.”

Badaru, during a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, had described the proposed summit as unnecessary. He argued that Nigeria’s Armed Forces were superior to the insurgents they face, adding that the real challenge lies in the unpredictability of terrorist strategies, often aided by local informants.

While acknowledging the potential value of security summits, Badaru maintained: “Strategy is far more important than a summit. But the summit will give some input for the strategy. When you hold a summit, you gather people, listen to their views, and then design or renew the strategy accordingly.”

Defending the Senate’s actions, Senator Bamidele earlier said the Red Chamber welcomes constructive criticism but will not tolerate false accusations.

Vanguard reports that he emphasized the Senate’s commitment to national development, citing legislative achievements such as tax reform bills and ongoing efforts in electoral and constitutional reform.

He said: “People should not mistake our unintentional decision not to grandstand for being a rubber-stamp parliament. We have worked in overriding public interest, and we are willing to do more. Our focus is on national security, which is why we’re concerned by the Minister of Defence’s dismissal of the proposed summit.”

Addressing the Minister directly, Bamidele added: “When the time comes to hold the national security summit, you should be eager to honor our invitation.”

Bamidele further reaffirmed the Senate’s dedication to its constitutional responsibilities, saying: “The Senate is an institution and is bigger than any individual.”

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