Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), former Nigerian Bar Association president and lawyer to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has issued a second letter demanding that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan retract her sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio, describing them as “clearly false and unsubstantiated.” The demand follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s failure to clarify significant contradictions in her claims, despite an earlier letter sent on April 14, 2025, requesting such clarification.
At a press conference in Lagos, Agbakoba highlighted a key contradiction: Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Akpabio sexually harassed her on December 8, 2023, yet she posted a social media exaltation of him the very next day, December 9, 2023, which she later deleted instead of explaining. Agbakoba emphasized that this inconsistency raises serious doubts about the credibility of her allegation.
He also questioned the long delay in reporting the alleged incident, noting that the senator only made the accusation public on February 28, 2025-over a year later. Furthermore, Agbakoba pointed out that throughout 2024, Akpoti-Uduaghan was seen attending multiple legislative and non-legislative events, both locally and internationally, alongside Akpabio, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Geneva in March 2024, where they took selfies and group photos. These interactions, warmly shared on her social media, contradict her claims of harassment.
Agbakoba stressed that the burden of proof lies with Akpoti-Uduaghan and urged her to retract the allegations, warning that failure to do so could lead to legal action. The controversy over the allegations previously led to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension by the Senate, intensifying the political and legal drama surrounding the case.