Agbakoba questioned the 14-month delay in Natasha’s public accusation, made on February 28, 2025, and cited her friendly interactions with Akpabio at various events
Agbakoba Asks Natasha to Retract Sexual Harassment Claims Against Akpabio
Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, former Nigerian Bar Association President and lead counsel for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has demanded that suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan retract her sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio, calling them “false and unsubstantiated.”
Speaking at a Lagos press conference on April 29, 2025, Agbakoba referenced a second letter dated April 22, following an unanswered April 14 request.
Agbakoba highlighted inconsistencies in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims, noting she alleged harassment on December 8, 2023, but posted praise for Akpabio on social media the next day, later deleting it.
He questioned the 14-month delay in her public accusation, made on February 28, 2025, and cited her friendly interactions with Akpabio at events, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Geneva in March 2024, where they took photos together.
“In light of these contradictions and her failure to clarify, we demand a retraction,” Agbakoba stated, presenting social media screenshots as evidence.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations, first aired in a February 2025 TV interview, claimed Akpabio made inappropriate comments and tied her legislative motions to personal favors. Akpabio denied the accusations, emphasizing his respect for women and deferring to ongoing legal proceedings.
On March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without pay for “unruly conduct” after a seating arrangement dispute, dismissing her harassment petition on procedural grounds. She called the suspension a “witch-hunt” to silence her, sparking “We Are All Natasha” protests in Lagos, Enugu, Edo, and Kaduna. She also raised the issue at a UN Women in Parliament event, labeling the Senate’s actions illegal.
Hours before Agbakoba’s demand, Akpoti-Uduaghan posted a satirical “apology” on social media, criticizing a “quid pro quo” culture in the Senate. The Independent National Electoral Commission rejected a recall petition against her, citing constitutional shortcomings.
Tensions between the senators date back to July 2024, when Akpabio’s “nightclub” remark during a session prompted a public apology after backlash. Read More
