KGB Allegation: Between Me And Natasha, We’ll Know Who Has Case To Answer — Sen Karimi

The Chairman of Senate Services, Sen. Sunday Karimi, said on Sunday that a battle line had been drawn between him and his Kogi State colleague, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over who would answer questions regarding allegations that Russian KGB agents had infiltrated the National Assembly.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>

Karimi, who is scheduled to honor an invitation from the Force Headquarters in Abuja on March 24, confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that he would visit the police on Monday.

However, he argued that the police should focus more on Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had petitioned them over the alleged presence of KGB agents, rather than himself.

“I am going to the police. There is no problem there.

“But when we meet at the police station, we will know who has a case to answer,” said Karimi, who represents the Kogi-West Senatorial District, during a telephone interview with the newspaper on Sunday.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the Kogi-Central Senatorial District, is currently suspended for gross misconduct and violation of Senate Standing Orders.

Karimi confirmed that a report titled “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy” had been posted on the Senate’s WhatsApp group to draw attention to security concerns.

An online platform called The Reporters had earlier published the report.

Karimi recalled that as soon as the report was posted in the WhatsApp group, Akpoti-Uduaghan was the first senator to react, challenging him to name the alleged KGB agents.

He continued, “She was the first to react to the post. She challenged me to call out the KGB agents. Out of the 109 senators, she was the only one who raised the issue.

“I simply ignored her. The questions to ask are: why is she so interested in the matter?

“Why is she pursuing it? What is she trying to hide? Out of the 109 of us, why is she suddenly agitated?

“But when we meet at the police station, we will know who really has a case to answer.”

Findings indicated that the KGB controversy introduced another dimension to the ongoing dispute between the Senate and Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose suspension for six months was due to misconduct.

“It was Natasha who petitioned the police to investigate the matter, perhaps believing that this was an attempt to unsettle her, given her Ukrainian background,” a legislative source told the Nigerian Tribune.

Efforts by the newspaper to reach Akpoti-Uduaghan on Sunday were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to a message sent to her phone.

Karimi has been one of the most vocal senators against Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct leading up to her March 6 suspension.

Beyond violating Senate Order 6 (1)(2), which led to her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged in a separate incident that the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, had sexually harassed her. She claimed that this, rather than misconduct, was the real reason for her suspension.

The matter is now before the courts in Abuja, while Akpoti-Uduaghan has also petitioned the Senate to investigate her allegations.

Speaking on the Senate floor on March 6, as the report of the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions indicting her was presented, Karimi admitted to his colleagues that he had contributed to Akpabio’s difficulties with Akpoti-Uduaghan and offered a public apology to the Senate President.

He recalled how he and other senators had initially pleaded with Akpabio to accommodate Akpoti-Uduaghan by assigning her a committee position when she first joined the Senate.

“I want to confess my sin today. I am one of those who put you in this problem, and I am very sorry.

“I was one of those who begged you to accommodate her in a chairmanship position,” he admitted.

Karimi further recalled that Akpabio’s immediate reaction was to question how he could appoint a newcomer to chair a committee ahead of ranking senators, especially a strategic committee such as the one on local content development.

He explained that his reason for advocating for Akpoti-Uduaghan was that the previous head of the committee was from Kogi State, and he believed she should be given the position to maintain continuity.

However, Karimi told his colleagues that his relationship with Akpoti-Uduaghan quickly soured, to the extent that she no longer spoke to him.