President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio has firmly stated that he will not resign from his position, despite increasing pressure from civil society organizations (CSOs) and various other groups. His tenure has recently faced scrutiny due to allegations of sexual harassment and accusations linking him to electoral fraud during the 2019 general elections.

In March, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was suspended after an altercation with Akpabio over a seating arrangement in the Senate chamber. During this confrontation, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate President of sexual harassment, further escalating the controversy surrounding his leadership.

On April 30, the Court of Appeal in Calabar, Cross River State, upheld the conviction of Peter Ogban, a professor at the University of Calabar, for manipulating election results in favor of Akpabio, who was the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate at the time.

Responding to comments made by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele during Thursday’s plenary session, Akpabio rejected calls for his resignation and reaffirmed his commitment to his role. Bamidele had urged lawmakers to concentrate on their legislative duties despite the surrounding distractions.

“I will not step down over false allegations,” Akpabio declared, emphasizing his resolve. “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. I’m not one of those people.”

He continued, “When it is eventually proven that the allegation is false, they will say, ‘Oh well… I’m not that bad.’ So if you had that in mind, please cancel it. I must thank you for the words you spoke today.”

On Tuesday, Akpabio had previously called on his colleagues to recommit themselves to national service with integrity and patriotism, urging them to prioritize legislative efforts that foster national unity as the plenary resumed.