The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has dismissed calls for the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio following allegations of sexual harassment made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has also criticized the politicization of the allegations.
Rev. Joseph Hayab, Chairman of CAN for the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, called the situation “shameful and unfortunate” and urged national elders to intervene to safeguard the integrity of the National Assembly.
“There is a need for elders to step in. Akpabio and Natasha both have people they respect who can mediate. National Assembly members must take responsibility for handling this matter,” Hayab said during a media engagement in Kaduna.
CAN rejected the calls for Akpabio’s resignation, stating that they were premature and unjustified, as no solid evidence has been presented.
“No one has been proven guilty, and taking sides will only escalate tensions,” CAN stated, emphasizing the need for fairness and sobriety in handling sexual harassment allegations. The religious body also urged the media to report responsibly to prevent further national division along gender and regional lines.
Furthermore, CAN called on political leaders to focus on governance, highlighting the urgency of passing the 2025 national budget.
PANDEF Condemns Politicization of Allegations
PANDEF has accused the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) of politicizing the allegations to advance a political agenda aimed at undermining Southern leaders and influencing the 2027 power shift.
In a statement issued yesterday, PANDEF National Publicity Secretary Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini criticized the ACF’s claims of bias against Northern senators, suggesting that these accusations were intended to create regional tensions and destabilize President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The ACF’s statement is a political attack on the South. By suggesting that only Northern senators are being suspended and calling for a rallying of Northern senators, they are directly threatening national unity,” Ominimini stated.
He recalled that in the 8th Assembly, a Southern senator was suspended under a Northern Senate President, and PANDEF did not interfere. “The Senate operates under rules, and anyone who feels aggrieved can pursue legal action. What ACF is doing is calling for division and destabilizing the nation,” PANDEF argued.
The group also condemned efforts to create a false “anti-Arewa” narrative and called for security agencies to investigate ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, over allegedly inciting statements.
As CAN urges caution and PANDEF rejects political interference, the allegations against Akpabio continue to fuel national debate, raising concerns over governance, unity, and the role of political influence in the National Assembly.
