Natasha Welcomes N200bn Defamation Suit by Akpabio, Vows to Prove Sexual Harassment Claim

By Spear News

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has declared she will use the N200bn defamation lawsuit filed against her by Senate President Godswill Akpabio as her opportunity to substantiate longstanding allegations of sexual harassment.

In a statement issued on Friday on her social media handle, Akpoti-Uduaghan confirmed receipt of the suit and expressed her readiness to meet Akpabio in court.

She framed the suit not as a setback, but as a long-awaited chance to present her case, which she claims was previously obstructed by parliamentary procedure.

The senator stated that her primary reason for welcoming the litigation is the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges’ prior refusal to hear her complaint.

She explained that the committee cited an existing defamation case filed against her by Mrs. Akpabio as grounds for not proceeding, creating what she described as a procedural deadlock.

Senate rules, she noted, required her to exhaust the internal committee process before seeking external legal recourse, leaving her allegations formally unaddressed.

“Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed and how my refusal to give into his demands unleashed series of unprovoked and unprecedented attacks on my person,” Akpoti-Uduaghan stated. She concluded her response with a direct challenge: “See you in court Godswill Akpabio.”

The legal action is the latest escalation in a protracted conflict between the senator and the senate presidency.

The discord originated in October 2025 when Akpoti-Uduaghan, during a plenary session, accused Akpabio of attempting to silence her by “undermining her constitutional duties.”

She later publicly detailed allegations of sexual harassment. This led the Senate, citing breaches of its rules, to suspend her for six months—a punishment she has consistently labelled as “illegal” and politically motivated retribution for her accusations.

The N200bn suit now moves the bitter dispute from the parliamentary floor to the courtroom, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle that intertwines allegations of defamation with those of serious misconduct.