Akpabio dares Natasha over sexual harassment suit

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio. Photo: Senate

Kindly share this story:

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has challenged Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to present credible evidence of her sexual harassment allegations in court rather than resorting to what he described as “staged outrage” and online theatrics.

Akpabio, in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, insisted the defamation suit against Natasha was not newly filed as she claimed, but had been pending in court for three months.

The statement, titled, ‘Setting the record straight on the defamation case involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’, accused the Kogi Central lawmaker of deliberately misleading the public.

He said, “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan again resorted to social media to claim incorrectly and misleadingly that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had only just filed a multi-billion-naira defamation suit against her over her unfounded allegations of sexual misconduct.

“These allegations, as the public is well aware, have never been supported by a single shred of evidence before the Senate Committee or before any competent authority.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the facts are clear, verifiable, and already before the court. The suit was filed over three months ago. Its progress was temporarily delayed by routine administrative processes and the normal judicial procedures.”

The Senate President further stated that attempts by court bailiffs to serve the senator were repeatedly frustrated.

“Her claim that the matter was ‘just filed’ is therefore false, misleading, and intended to distort public understanding of the case.”

Akpabio also accused her of a pattern of public posturing.

He said, “We reiterate that legal disputes are resolved in courtrooms, not through orchestrated narratives and staged outrage on social-media platforms. The online applause Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan habitually seeks cannot replace credible evidence, legal procedure, or judicial scrutiny.

“This behaviour is consistent with her pattern during her six-month Senate suspension, an entirely lawful disciplinary measure she sought to delegitimise through digital agitation, only to ultimately serve the suspension in full.”

The former Akwa Ibom governor also challenged her to finally present her evidence before a judge.

“It is time for Akpoti-Uduaghan to present the ‘evidence’ she claims to possess before a court of competent jurisdiction, rather than relying on sensationalised commentary designed solely to attract sympathy and obscure the facts.

“The law is guided by proof, procedure, and due process, not sentiment, not emotion, and certainly not social-media theatrics. She is advised to properly instruct her lawyers, file her defence, and finally provide the evidence she purports to have for the baseless allegations she has peddled over this matter,” he noted.

Akpabio’s statement came a day after the Kogi legislator vowed to defend herself “vigorously” in court following the filing of the ₦200bn defamation suit against her — the latest escalation in a bitter standoff that has gripped the 10th Senate for months.

The Senate President accused her before the FCT High Court of making “false, malicious, and injurious” claims that portrayed him as a “sexual predator” and subjected him to public ridicule.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, confirming receipt of the suit, said she welcomed the legal battle because it would allow her to tender the evidence she was allegedly denied the opportunity to present before the Senate Ethics Committee.

Her post immediately reignited debate within political circles, with analysts describing the lawsuit as one of the most consequential confrontations between a Senate President and a sitting senator in recent years.

The PUNCH reported that the lawmaker was suspended for six months in March 2025 after protesting the relocation of her seat during plenary. She repeatedly accused Akpabio of targeting her and once labelled him a “dictator.”

Although the suspension lapsed in September, her return was delayed by legal and administrative hurdles before her sealed office was eventually reopened by the Sergeant-at-Arms.

Upon returning, she insisted she had “no apology to tender,” accusing Senate leadership of attempting to muzzle dissent within the chamber.

The PUNCH journalist, Adebayo, has over 20 years of experience covering politics, health, metro, entertainment and properties

Kindly share this story:

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25Million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, 👉 click here to find out how it work (Be sure to ask for evidence of clients that have benefitted from this)

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.