The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the leading sociopolitical body of the South-South region, has raised concerns about the sexual harassment allegations made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs.
PANDEF claims these allegations are part of a political maneuver to remove Akpabio from office.
According to PANDEF, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions are strategically aimed at displacing Akpabio as Senate President, a move confirmed by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, PANDEF argued that the allegations also target President Bola Tinubu’s second-term aspirations.
They see this incident as the first phase of a broader northern political strategy, which aims to shift power back to the north in 2027, following two consecutive terms under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
PANDEF interpreted the ACF’s statement as a signal of a political battle against Southern Nigeria, designed to stir up opposition to President Tinubu’s administration and pave the way for northern leadership in 2027.
The forum has urged Akpabio to remain firm and assured him that the people of Southern Nigeria will support him in the face of what they described as a deliberate political attack on his office and the Southern Nigeria-led presidency.
They further emphasized that the Senate operates according to its own rules and that the ACF has no authority to dictate its internal proceedings.
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The Statement read, “It is very sad that the supposed revered Arewa consultative forum, ACF, has turned itself into a political hired machine for politicians. The press release by the Publicity Secretary of the ACF is nothing but a political war against the entire people of Southern Nigeria aiming to incite the Northern Nigeria against the Administration of President Bola Amed Tinubu to restore power to Northern Nigeria in 2027. In his statements, where he said, “at a period when citizens are being overwhelmed by dire existential living conditions on account of the impact of public policies on lives and livelihoods,” shows very clearly that the 2027.
“Presidential 2nd tenure of President Tinubu is the real target, but they have decided to start in parts, starting with those they feel are the power base of President Tinubu and Southern Nigeria. PANDEF therefore states categorically that it is the turn of the Southern Nigeria to produce the Nigerian President in 2027, having done two consecutive tenures by the North under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari
“The Senate is a well-established institution with rules and guidelines. One is glad to read that the ACF knows that this is the 10th Senate of Nigeria, which means that there had been Senate presidents in the past from Northern Nigeria. The Senate is a Chamber of Records. For ACF to insinuate that is only Northerners that are being suspended, and called for Northern Senators to rally round one of their own, is a threat to the unity of this country.
Just to give one example, in the 8th Assembly, a southern Senator from the oil and gas rich region of South South Geopolitical zone, was suspended by a Northern Senate President. The Apex Sociopolitical body of the South South Geo-political zone,
“PANDEF, never intervened in the activities of the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. Neither did we call on the Southern or South South Senators to rally round one of our own. Suspensions and relocation of seats have been the normal things in the business of the legislature. Those who feel offended usually go to a competent court of law. That has been the normal practice. What ACF has just done is a call for Arnachy, Division, and a major threat to the unity of Nigeria.
“PANDEF hereby calls for the arrest and questioning of the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Prof T. A. Mohammad-Baba by the Department of State Security, DSS, and the Nigeria Police. Anybody who incites one part of the country against another part of the country is nothing but a pathway to Anarchy and disunity and it is treasonable as the Unity of the Country is under threat by the ACF press release.
“It is very strange and sad to hear as stated by the ACF National Publicity Secretary that “ACF rues the development and hopes that it is not part of the thinly-veiled anti-Arewa agenda now pervading the Nigerian political process.” The question is, where is the anti-Arewa agenda coming from? Is it from Southern Nigeria or within Arewa?
“PANDEF has therefore concluded that this political calculation targeted against the Senate president through this well orchestrated sexual harassment acusation is nothing but a political gimmick to fight back against the South South Geoplolitical zone, the bread winner of Nigeria and the entire Southern Nigeria in the believe of ACF that there is an Anti-Arewa agenda in Nigeria. This political sexual harassment accusation is therefore dead on arrival. PANDEF shall, therefore, call for an extra-ordinary meeting without delay to look deeper into this dance to the gallery by the ACF
“PANDEF calls on the Senate President to remain resolute and be confident that we, his people shall do all good things possible to rally round him in the face of this exposed calculated political attack on his office and person and the Southern Nigeria Led presidency. The Senate has its own rules, and ACF can not dictate to the Senate on how to conduct its business.”
