Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, yesterday, advised the wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio Ekaette Akpabio, to refrain from interfering in the allegations of sexual advances made against her husband.
Recall that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had alleged that the Senate President had made inappropriate advances towards her, both in his office and at his residence in Akwa Ibom.
Ekaette Akpabio dismissed the claims as “lies”, asserting that her husband is a disciplined man. She has also filed fundamental rights and defamation lawsuits against the senator.
However, in a letter dated 1st March and addressed to Mrs. Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her lawyer Victor Giwa, stated that she had no intention of involving the Senate President’s wife in the matter.
The letter 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 victimisation she has endured in the Red Chambers.”
It added that the allegations are strictly against Akpabio, who, according to the senator, is capable of defending himself.
“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.
“Our client has concrete evidence to substantiate her claims. We suggest that you leave the defence of these allegations to the Senate President to maintain your sanity and that of your family.”
Meanwhile, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio has instituted multiple lawsuits against Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following her sexual harassment allegations against her husband.
She filed a fundamental right and defamation suit against Natasha-Akpoti at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, following sexual harassment claims against her husband. In the suits, Unoma sought N250 billion as general damages.
But, Mrs Akpabio had dismissed her claims, saying she was lying and creating content for her gains. Addressing a press conference, she threatened legal action against Natasha.
The fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), was brought under Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Mrs Akpabio sought the following, “A DECLARATION that the allegations made by the Respondent on the floor of the Senate on February 20, 2025, and subsequent scandalous and salacious allegations on Arise News TV by the Respondent, constitute a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 34(1) (A) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
“an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondent from making further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear for their lives.
“an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondent, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, or whosoever from further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives or in any other manner infringing on their fundamental rights.
“an order awarding the sum of N250bn as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”
Additionally, in a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio seeks: “a declaration that the Defendant’s act of claiming on national television, that the Claimant’s husband, who is the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made sexual advances at her, without any proof of same, has damaged the reputation of the Claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium.
“an order of this honourable court mandating the Defendant to issue a formal written retraction of the defamatory words and tender an unconditional apology to the Claimant and her family, to be published in two nationally-read newspapers to wit: The Guardian and This Day Newspapers.
“an order of this honourable court compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N1bn as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation.
“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.”
