LAGOS — Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has called on suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to formally retract her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing the claim as “clearly false and unsubstantiated.”
Agbakoba, who serves as lead counsel to the Senate President, made the demand during a press conference held in Lagos on Tuesday. He revealed that a second formal letter dated April 22, 2025, had been sent to the senator after an initial request issued on April 14 went unanswered.
Addressing journalists, Agbakoba pointed to what he termed “glaring contradictions” in Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s account, particularly the timing of her alleged harassment on December 8, 2023, and her subsequent public praise of Akpabio on social media the next day.
“In our first letter dated April 14, 2025, we requested clarification on significant contradictions in your allegation. Of particular concern is your social media post on December 9, 2023, where you openly commended Senator Akpabio—a day after the alleged incident,” he stated, noting that the post was later deleted.
He further questioned the delay in making the allegation public, pointing out that it was not raised until February 28, 2025—more than 14 months after the alleged incident.
“During that period, you were repeatedly seen with the Senate President at various official and informal events, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Geneva in March 2024, where you posted friendly photos with him online,” Agbakoba added, while displaying screenshots of the now-deleted posts.
He insisted that the lack of clarification and delayed reporting undermines the credibility of the accusation, reiterating the demand for a full retraction.
This latest development comes just hours after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan posted a satirical “apology letter” addressed to Akpabio on her social media pages. The letter, dripping with sarcasm, criticised what she called a culture of entitlement and political patronage within the upper chamber.
The senator had first made the sexual harassment allegation during a televised interview in February 2025, claiming Akpabio made inappropriate remarks and implied her legislative proposals would only move forward if she “took care” of him. She also alleged he invited her for a private meeting.
Senate President Akpabio has strongly denied the accusations, stating he has never harassed any woman and urging the public to allow the judiciary to handle the matter.
On March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without pay, citing “unruly and disruptive” behaviour. Her formal complaint was dismissed on procedural grounds, as it was submitted personally instead of through a fellow senator, in line with Senate rules.
Her suspension followed a heated disagreement over a new seating arrangement in the chamber, which she claimed was designed to demean her.
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