Retract Sexual Harassment Allegation Against Akpabio, Agbakoba Tells Natasha

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, has called on suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to retract her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing it as “clearly false and unsubstantiated.”

Agbakoba, who is lead counsel to the Senate President, issued a second formal letter dated April 22, 2025, after an earlier request on April 14 reportedly went unacknowledged by the embattled senator.

The development was disclosed at a press conference held in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to the senior lawyer, Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to provide clarity on what he termed “significant contradictions” in her allegations, particularly concerning her alleged harassment on December 8, 2023 and her subsequent praise of Akpabio the following day on social media.

“In our first letter, dated 14 April 2025, we requested that you clarify contradictions in your sexual harassment allegation against our client, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” Agbakoba stated.

“Of note is the contradiction as to timeline and dates. You have failed to clarify your allegation of 8 December 2023 and your exaltation of Senator Akpabio on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) on 9 December 2023 — the very next day. Rather than explain, you deleted the social media post, which to us is extremely concerning.”

Delayed Allegation Concerns
Agbakoba also questioned the timing of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public accusation, noting the over 14-month delay between the alleged incident and her public revelation on February 28, 2025.

“You claim the harassment occurred on 8 December 2023, but your allegation was not made until 28 February 2025 — one year and two months later.

“During this period, you were seen with Senator Akpabio at several legislative and non-legislative functions, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Geneva on 24 and 25 March 2024, where you took selfies and group photos with him, which were posted warmly on your social media pages,” he said.

Presenting screenshots of such posts, Agbakoba said the contradiction undermined the credibility of her claims.

“In light of this and your failure to clarify inconsistencies raised in our first letter, we demand that you retract your sexual harassment allegation against our client,” he added.

The demand from Akpabio’s legal team came just hours after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan published a mock “apology” letter to the Senate President on her social media platforms.

Titled “Satirical Apology Letter”, the post was laced with sarcasm and served as a sharp critique of what she described as the culture of entitlement, impropriety, and unmerited advancement within the upper chamber.

In the satirical letter, she accused high-ranking lawmakers of expecting political favours through personal compliance rather than merit, hinting again at what she has repeatedly described as a pervasive “quid pro quo” culture in legislative politics.

Harassment Allegations, Suspension
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan first accused the Senate President of sexual harassment during a televised interview in February 2025.

She claimed that Akpabio made inappropriate comments and suggested her legislative proposal would only be considered if she “took care” of him. She also said he invited her to spend private time with him.

Akpabio denied the allegations, saying he had never harassed any woman and urged Nigerians to let the court handle the matter.

On March 6 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without pay, citing “unruly and disruptive” conduct. Her harassment complaint was dismissed on procedural grounds, as she submitted it herself rather than through another senator, which violated Senate rules.

Her suspension followed a dispute over a new seating arrangement in the chamber, which she believed was meant to humiliate her. She later claimed on national TV that her suspension was punishment for rejecting Akpabio’s alleged advances — a claim he denied.

The Senate said the suspension could be lifted if she issued a written apology. The situation sparked widespread protests under the slogan “We Are All Natasha,” with rallies held in cities including Lagos, Enugu, Edo, and Kaduna.

Calling the suspension a “witch-hunt,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said it was an attempt to silence her. She took her case to the international stage during a Women in Parliament event at the United Nations, where she described the Senate’s action as illegal and called for global support.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dismissed a petition to recall her, saying it “failed to meet constitutional standards.”