Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has issued a formal apology to his colleague, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following his controversial remark about the Senate not being a nightclub.
“Distinguished Sen. Natasha, I want to apologize to you. I thought that I should offer a personal apology to you,” Akpabio stated, addressing the Kogi State lawmaker on the Senate floor in Abuja on Tuesday.
Last Thursday, during a Senate debate, Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan repeatedly interjected after her allotted debate time had ended, prompting Akpabio to ask her to stop shouting, remarking that the Senate chamber was not a nightclub.
The comment quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread criticism of the Senate President for his choice of words.
Describing the backlash to his fellow senators, Akpabio mentioned that his wife had received numerous phone calls, with some even threatening to “occupy her.”
Akpabio emphasized that his remarks were misinterpreted, especially on social media. As a father and husband, he stated he would never intentionally denigrate a woman, adding, “I meant no harm.”
He further explained that social media would likely have misconstrued his words regardless of how he phrased them. “If I had said the Senate was not a village square, it would still have been interpreted to mean that I called Akpoti-Uduaghan a ‘village woman.'”
After offering his apology, he praised Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying, “She is a beautiful and lovely woman, and I will not intentionally denigrate her.”
Akpabio also pointed out a positive aspect of the situation, noting that it demonstrated how closely Nigerians follow Senate proceedings and the significant impact lawmakers have on their lives.
