Let your husband defend himself, Natasha advises Senate President’s wife
The Senator representing Kogi Central at the Senate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has called on Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to stay out of the allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation against her husband.
The dispute between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio began after she refused to sit in a designated seat during a Senate session, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules.
Tensions escalated further when she appeared on Arise News on Friday, accusing the Akpabio of blocking her motions, maligning her, and intimidating her after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances.
In response, Mrs Akpabio held a press conference in Abuja, dismissing the allegations against her husband.
She asserted that both families had shared a cordial relationship for years, long before Akpoti-Uduaghan’s marriage, and suggested that the claims were baseless.
However, in a letter dated March 1, 2025, addressed to Mrs Akpabio through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, Akpoti-Uduaghan advised her to refrain from getting involved in the matter.
The letter, 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,” stressed that the accusations were personal to the Senate President and that he should be left to defend himself.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said she had endured harassment from Akpabio but was now compelled to speak out.
It partly read, “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.
“Consequently, we would like to state that the allegations of our client are personal to the Senate President, and our client believes the Senate President has the capacity to defend himself and refute any of these allegations against him.”
She said she has enough evidence to back up her claims, urging the wife to allow her husband to defend himself for the sake of her sanity and family.
“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.
“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.
AKPABIO’S WIFE SUES NATASHA AKPOTI FOR ALLEGED DEFAMATION, SEEKS N250BN DAMAGES
Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed multiple lawsuits against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, over alleged defamatory comments.
On Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an interview on Arise TV, alleged that the senate president made sexual advances at her in his office and residence in Akwa Ibom.
The senate president’s wife had responded by saying her husband is a disciplined man, adding that the senator’s claims were “lies”.
In a fundamental rights suit filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court, Ekaette said the “scandalous and salacious” comments made by Akpoti-Uduaghan have caused her and her children “emotional and psychological abuse”.
Akpabio’s wife asked the court to restrain Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further “spiteful” statements that infringe on her fundamental human rights.
“AN ORDER awarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside,” the fundamental rights suit reads.
“Such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”
Ekaette said the Kogi senator’s comments “damaged the reputation of the claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium”.
She asked the court to mandate Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an apology to her family and publish it in two national newspapers.
“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of ₦1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation,” a portion of the suit reads.
“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimant’s family.”
