– Demands Clarification from Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Hints at Legal Action
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has described the sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio as riddled with contradictions and falling below the global threshold required to establish such a claim.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, Agbakoba—who also serves as legal counsel to Akpabio—said the accusation, made by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, lacked the evidentiary weight needed to sustain a case of sexual harassment.“
In any society that upholds justice, fairness and proof are fundamental, while individuals should be empowered to speak out, allegations must meet legal standards,” he said.
Agbakoba disclosed that he had officially written to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on behalf of the Senate President, requesting clarification on what he described as “significant contradictions” in her public statements, which have been widely circulated in both local and international media.“
This widespread media coverage has caused considerable reputational harm to our client,” the letter says. “We are granting you reasonable time to clarify the inconsistencies we’ve highlighted, while our client reserves the right to pursue all available legal remedies.”
Citing a major inconsistency, Agbakoba noted that Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she was sexually harassed by Akpabio on December 8, 2023, yet went on social media the following day to praise the same individual.
“On December 9, 2023, just a day after the alleged incident, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan posted warm and laudatory messages about the Senate President on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), commending the birthday event she attended in Uyo,” he said.
He argued that such a timeline—where a claim of trauma is quickly followed by voluntary public admiration—warrants scrutiny.“The juxtaposition of these two events raises serious questions.
A claim of harassment followed by open praise suggests a narrative inconsistency that cannot be ignored,” he added.
Agbakoba also referenced previous public allegations made by the suspended senator against other figures, including Reno Omokri and an unnamed minister, suggesting a pattern that deserves attention—though he emphasized that each case must be judged on its own merit.“
Sexual harassment is a grave issue that must be addressed with both seriousness and fairness. We acknowledge the difficulty of speaking out, but we also insist on a process that respects all parties and adheres to institutional channels, not trial by media,” he added.
