Akpabio and the Curious Case of ‘Quality Moments’—When Power, Lust, and Denial Collide

Abayomi Aiyepola We all know that some women have used harassment allegations to bring men down, but in Godswill Akpabio’s case, the pattern is too obvious to ignore.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims aren’t coming out of nowhere, she is just the latest in a growing list of women who have accused him of inappropriate behavior. It’s her word against his, but when you look at the relentless attacks she’s facing and recall similar accusations from Joy Nunieh, a disturbing pattern emerges.

Now, let’s talk about this “quality moment” gist.

According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, on the eve of their shared birthday, Akpabio took her on a grand tour of his luxury homes in Akwa Ibom, holding her hand and parading her from room to room like a political landlord showing off his latest tenant.

When they reached a particular sitting room, he asked if she liked his house. Being polite, she responded:

“Of course, Sir, every room is beautiful, beautiful taste.”

And then, bam, Akpabio dropped his infamous line:

“Now you are a senator, I am going to create time for us to come create quality moments here. You will enjoy it.”

At that point, Natasha instinctively pulled away. As she put it, “I didn’t understand what he meant.”

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But let’s be honest, she understood, we understand, even the chairs in that sitting room understood.

This isn’t Akpabio’s first rodeo. Joy Nunieh, former managing director of the NDDC, accused him of harassment in 2020, claiming he once tried to force himself on her. What happened? She was sacked, her credibility was attacked, and at one point, her home was surrounded by security operatives. Sound familiar?

And if Akpabio isn’t harassing women, he’s discrediting them.

Just ask Senator Ireti Kingibe. When she called out the Senate leadership for poor decision-making, Akpabio didn’t counter her with facts or logic. No, he dismissed her like a schoolgirl out of place in a boys’ club, saying she was “a new senator” who didn’t understand how things worked. Translation? Sit down, madam, the men are talking.

The playbook is the same: if a woman speaks up, you either try to control her, shut her down, or tear her apart. And yet, men like Akpabio still wonder why more women don’t enter Nigerian politics.

So, will there be consequences for him this time? Or will this just be another chapter in the long history of she said, he denied? We wait.

Abayomi Aiyepola writes from Abeokuta, Nigeria.