Senator Natasha: Primate Ayodele Sends Strong Message to Kogi Lawmaker Amid Feud With Akpabio
- Popular Nigerian cleric, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, has dropped a piece of advice regarding the feud between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio
- Legit.ng reports that the controversy began when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate President of making inappropriate advances towards her during a visit to his home in Uyo, Akwa Ibom
- In a video seen by Legit.ng, Primate Ayodele, famous for issuing prophecies, told the suspended federal lawmaker what to do regarding the claims against Akpabio and her removal from power
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - Amid the rift between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Primate Elijah Ayodele has suggested that the Kogi lawmaker should "seek the face of God".
Ayodele, the spiritual leader of the Inri Evangelical Church, claimed that there was a plot to bring Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan down.
Source: Facebook
The cleric spoke in a video shared on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, on his verified X (formerly known as Twitter) account.
He said:
“Senator Natasha should strategise. They want to destroy her political future. They mean what they want to do. They want to fight you hands down; they want to cause confusion for you.”
Ayodele continued:
“Senator Natasha, don’t sleep. Go to God, as you are doing your global consultation. If you can seek the face of God, it would go a long way and save your situation.”
Furthermore, Primate Ayodele stated that the Kogi senator’s opponents did not want her to complete her term.
Primate Ayodele said:
“They don’t want anything good for you. My God said, ‘Come to Me and I will help you. Don’t sleep' seek the face of God for you to be able to overcome, because in the next election, it is going to be very difficult for you. You have a good future politically, so take divine warnings. God bless.”
The clip can be watched below:
Source: Facebook
Natasha's allegation against Akpabio has continued to dominate conversations in Nigeria's political landscape amid efforts in some quarters to facilitate her recall.
Advocate calls for systemic support for women leaders
Lady Jane Kalu Ndukwe, founder of the Genuine Womanhood Initiative Pathway to Nation Building, has spoken on the ongoing alleged harassment saga involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Ndukwe, while acknowledging the validity of Primate Ayodele’s advice for Akpoti-Uduaghan to seek divine guidance, noted that spiritual support alone is not enough to address such issues.
"Beyond spiritual intervention, systemic measures must be in place to support and protect women in leadership, preventing such incidents from recurring," she told Legit.ng.
The lead mentor & consultant, Lady Jane Respects Services, elaborated on the steps needed to support women leaders:
“Leaders must be trained on the unique strengths both men and women bring to leadership, fostering complementarity over competition and promoting mutual respect."
While stressing the need for clear guidelines on acceptable behaviour, reporting mechanisms, and consequences for misconduct, she said:
“Ethics and disciplinary committees must uphold integrity, maintain gender balance, and enforce policies fairly, with strict criteria for membership."
She also called for structured mentorship programs to help women leaders "navigate challenges, build resilience, and foster solidarity."
The expert concluded that there is a need for legal frameworks to protect women from political intimidation, discrimination, and bias, including "anti-harassment laws and whistleblower protections."
"We are all Natasha" trends on social media
As women's rights groups actively responded to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan's allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio and her subsequent suspension from the Nigerian Senate, many have organised protests under the banner "We are all Natasha," condemning her suspension and highlighting broader issues of gender inequality in Nigerian politics.
Mirabel Centre (SARC), "Nigeria’s first Sexual Assault Referral Centre," is one of the groups at the forefront of the protest.
"We join our voices to demand accountability and systemic action. We call for safe reporting mechanisms for all women without fear of prejudice," the organisation said.
#WeareallNatasha is also trending on X as many social media users express solidarity with the female lawmaker.
Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the executive director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), posted on X.
"The intimidation must stop! #WeAreAllNatasha
"I was also summoned for questioning by the New York consulate just because I planned to hold an event on March 11 at the Nigeria House—an event I had already paid for. Jokers! Who exactly is afraid of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduagshan?!"
Read more on Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan vs Akpabio:
- “Akpabio said my waist would make good movements,” Natasha alleges, shares what other senators did
- Diaspora group condemns Senator Natasha for 'spoiling Nigeria's image abroad'
- Natasha calls out Akpabio, Governor Ododo, Yahaya Bello
- Natasha recall: Kogi senator petitions IGP over alleged signature forgery
- Mr Macaroni blasts Ben Bruce for supporting Godswill Akpabio amid Natasha Akpoti's allegations
INEC releases statement on petition for recall of Natasha
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held its weekly meeting recently.
Among other matters, the meeting discussed the petition for the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan as a member of the Senate.
The commission said the process was enshrined in the 1999 constitution, the 2022 Electoral Act 2022 and its regulations.
Discussing the guidelines for recall, INEC stated that all petitions would be treated in strict compliance with the framework.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from the founder of the Genuine Womanhood Initiative Pathway to Nation Building for this report.
Nurudeen Lawal, head of the politics and current affairs desk, contributed to the report by highlighting the surge of online activism with #WeAreAllNatasha trending on X, as women's rights groups and social media users rally behind Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.
James Ojo (Copyeditor) James Ojo is a copy editor at Legit.ng. He is an award-winning journalist with a speciality in investigative journalism. He is a fellow of Nigeria Health Watch Prevent Epidemics Journalism Fellowship (2023), WSCIJ Collaborative Media Project (2022), ICIR Health Reporting (2022), YouthHubAfrica’s Basic Education Media Fellowship (2022), Countering the Fake News Epidemic (MacArthur Foundation) 2021, and Tiger Eye Foundation Fellowship. Email: james.ojo@corp.legit.ng
