Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has declared her resolve to pursue her sexual harassment case against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to its logical conclusion, despite mounting legal pressure from his legal team.
In a formal response dated April 30 and addressed to Akpabio’s counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olisa Agbakoba, the Kogi Central lawmaker insisted that her allegations remain valid and would be tested in court, not in the media.
This development follows a letter from Agbakoba demanding a retraction of what he termed “clearly false and unsubstantiated” claims, citing what he called “significant inconsistencies” in the senator’s allegations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, maintained that her petition reflects the truth, and faulted Agbakoba’s request for her to present additional evidence outside the ongoing legal process, referencing a case currently before the FCT High Court (Suit No. CV/816/25), which was initially filed by Akpabio’s wife, Unoma.
“The assessment of evidence belongs to the courts alone,” she said. “Your demand for evidence at this stage, outside of pleadings before the court, shows a misunderstanding of what constitutes sexual harassment under global standards.”
The senator argued that asking her to present more particulars outside of court amounted to undermining the legal process and attempting to trivialize a serious issue.
She further criticised Akpabio for allegedly trying to influence public opinion through media narratives while avoiding scrutiny in the Senate chamber, where he presides.
“The rule against parallel adjudication safeguards the integrity of judicial determination and preserves the dignity of all arms of government,” she stated, warning that any deviation from legal procedures would compromise the rule of law.
Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded by affirming that she would only provide additional evidence during the court’s disclosure process, stressing that the judiciary remains the only competent body to resolve the matter.
As of press time, neither Senate President Akpabio nor his legal team had responded publicly to her latest statement.
