Chief Ayiri Emami, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta, has called for restraint amid the ongoing verbal dispute between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The controversy erupted when Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, accused Akpabio of making inappropriate advances toward her during a visit to his Uyo residence in December 2023 for his birthday, which she attended with her husband. She claimed that her troubles in the Senate began after she rejected these advances.
In a statement on Saturday, Emami urged both lawmakers to cease hostilities, warning that enemies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration might exploit the situation to divert attention from more pressing issues.
“This unnecessary media war has distracted Nigerians from the important matter of the N54.99 trillion 2025 budget that President Tinubu signed into law on Friday, February 28,” Emami said.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a credible investigation into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegations, calling for an impartial probe to safeguard the integrity of the Senate.
But Emami urged Nigerians to focus on the 2025 and how it affects the economy.
“Instead of focusing on the intricacies of the 2025 budget, which could drive significant progress for the country, many Nigerians are investing their energy into this disagreement between two distinguished senators.”
As a family member, Emami emphasized that efforts were being made to mediate between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan. He appealed for peace, expressing hope that the situation would be resolved soon with the guidance of divine wisdom and ancestral insight, for the greater good of the nation.
