Akpabio gives Natasha opportunity to prove sex allegations, Natasha Says ‘Now I’ll Prove Everything’
Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has filed a ₦200 billion defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following her claim that he sexually harassed her an allegation she says she is now prepared to prove in court.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Mr Akpabio dismissed the allegations as “unfounded, misleading and unsupported by a single shred of evidence.” He said the lawsuit had actually been filed more than three months ago, contrary to claims by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan that it was freshly instituted.
According to Mr Udom, attempts to serve court papers on the Kogi Central senator were unsuccessful for several weeks, with a court bailiff reportedly swearing an affidavit stating that she evaded service. The court eventually granted an order for substituted service in November.
He also criticised what he described as Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s use of social media to “orchestrate narratives and staged outrage,” adding that legal matters should be resolved in court rather than online.
In response, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan confirmed receipt of the ₦200 billion suit on Friday and said she welcomed the development, describing it as her “golden opportunity” to finally present her case.
She alleged that the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges had previously refused to hear her petition on the matter, citing the existence of a separate defamation case filed against her by Mr Akpabio’s wife. According to her, Senate rules prevented her from approaching the courts until the committee had addressed the complaint — a process she claimed was frustrated.
“Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed and how my refusal to give in unleashed a series of unprovoked attacks,” the senator said in a social media post.
Mr Akpabio, through his spokesman, insists the allegations are baseless and form part of what he called a “pattern of digital agitation” following Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate earlier this year a move he maintains was lawful.
The case is expected to test the credibility of both parties as it moves to court, with public attention now focused on whether Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan will present evidence to back her claims.
