By The NewsMata
The embattled Senator representing Kogi Central at the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has admonished wife of Nigeria’s Senate President, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, leave the defence of her sexual harassment allegations against her husband, Godswill Akpabio to him “to maintain your sanity and that of your family”.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a letter dated March 1, 2025, addressed to Mrs. Akpabio through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, in reaction to her going to court in defence of her husband, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan urged her to allow her husband to address the allegations independently.
Trouble started between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio when she refused to move to her reallocated seat and was denied recognition even after citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, leading to her outburst during which she complained of being denied her privileges and maligning of her character.
The matter escalated on Friday February 28, when she appeared on Arise News Morning Show, where she attributed travails in the senate to her rejection of Senator Akpabio’s sexual advances.
Rising in defence of her husband, Mrs. Akpabio held a press conference in Abuja where dismissed Natasha’s claims as false and a figment of her imagination. She emphasised the long-standing cordial relationship between their families, which she said predated Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s marriage.
But reacting to Mrs. Akpabio’s legal challenge, her lawyer in his letter to Mrs. Akpabio titled, ‘Stay Away from Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Sexual Harassment and Intimidation Allegation Against Sen. President Godswill Akpabio; To Safeguard Your Sanity and That of Your Family,’ asserted that the allegations were personal to the Senate President and that he should be left to defend himself.
Akpoti-Uduaghan stated that she had endured harassment from Akpabio but was now compelled to speak out.
The letter read in part: “Our Client is not desirous of calling you out into the unfortunate saga concerning her allegations against the Senate President and wishes that you restrain yourself from delving into the obscene circumstances. While she has tolerated all the harassment from the Senate President, she was constrained to reveal the unfortunate torture and victimization which she has been going through in the red chambers under the hand of the Senate President.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan declared that she had concrete evidence to substantiate her claims and urged Mrs. Akpabio to allow her husband to address the allegations independently.
Giwa said, “Our client has concrete evidence to substantiate her allegations. We will suggest that you leave the defense of the allegations for the Senate President to maintain your sanity and that of your family”.
Reaffirming Akpoti-Uduaghan’s commitment to defending Nigerian women and upholding family values, Giwa said “Our client remains resolute in the defense of Nigerian women and as a family woman, she will continue to maintain our common heritage and family values”.