Former president of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, don tell suspended senator wey dey represent Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, make she withdraw di sexual harassment accusation wey she put for Senate President Godswill Akpabio head. He talk say di tori “no get head” and e no follow at all.
Agbakoba, wey be lawyer for Akpabio side, don send second official letter wey carry date April 22, 2025, after di first one wey dem send on April 14 no get any response from Natasha side.
Dem announce this one for press conference wey happen for Lagos on Tuesday.
Di senior lawyer talk say Natasha no gree explain some important things wey no add up for her talk, especially di one wey she claim say di harassment happen on December 8, 2023, and di way she still praise Akpabio for social media di next day.
He talk say, “For our first letter wey we send on April 14, we ask make you explain di contradictions wey dey your accusation against our client, Senator Akpabio. One big one na di time wey you talk say di thing happen and how you still hail am for Instagram and X (Twitter) on December 9, just di day after. Instead make you talk your side, you delete di post – and dat one really worry us.”
Agbakoba still talk say e shock am say Natasha wait more than one year before she bring di matter out publicly for February 28, 2025.
He talk say, “You talk say di harassment happen on December 8, 2023, but you no talk anything until February 28, 2025 — one year and two months later. Inside that time, dem see you with Senator Akpabio for many official and unofficial events, like di Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting for Geneva on March 24 and 25, 2024, where una even snap selfies and group photos together and post am for your social media.”
As im dey show screenshots of di posts, Agbakoba talk say all these things just dey scatter Natasha own story.
Because of all these contradictions and her silence, di lawyer demand say Natasha suppose take back di allegation wey she throw Akpabio way.
Dis demand come just few hours after Natasha post one kind “apology” letter online – but na mock apology full of sarcasm. She use am take yab di Senate and talk say dem dey run things based on “connection” and not merit.
Inside di letter, she yarn say some big men for Senate dey expect woman to do “special favour” before dem support anything she bring come Senate – hinting again at wetin she don accuse Akpabio of before.
Na for February 2025 Natasha first accuse Akpabio say he harass her during TV interview. She talk say Akpabio make suggestive talk and say her proposal go only pass if she “take care of am.” She still talk say he invite her to come chill with am privately.
Akpabio sharply deny di whole matter say he never harass any woman before and make Nigerians allow court handle di issue.
On March 6, 2025, Senate suspend Natasha for six months without pay, say her behavior no follow Senate conduct. Dem even dismiss her harassment complaint say she no pass am through another senator, wey no follow Senate rules.
Di suspension come after wahala over new sitting arrangement for Senate chamber, wey Natasha believe na set-up to disgrace her. She later talk for national TV say di suspension na punishment because she no gree follow Akpabio play. Akpabio still deny that one.
Senate later talk say if she wan make dem lift di suspension, she go need write apology letter.
Di matter cause serious protest across Nigeria with slogan “We Are All Natasha.” People protest for Lagos, Enugu, Edo, and Kaduna.
Natasha call di suspension witch-hunt, say dem just wan shut her up. She carry di matter go international, talk am again for one Women in Parliament event for United Nations, where she call for support and say wetin Senate do no follow law.
Meanwhile, INEC throw away one petition wey dem submit to recall Natasha from Senate. Dem talk say di petition no reach constitutional standard.
This no be di first time wey Natasha and Akpabio go drag each other. For July 2024, Akpabio embarrass her during Senate session say, “We no dey nightclub,” because she talk without permission. That talk cause gbege as people blast am say na sexist. He later apologize publicly.
