Natasha accepts legal challenge, insists she will prove claims against Akpabio

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has declared that she is fully prepared to prove her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio in court.

Her reaction followed the service of a ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Akpabio, which she confirmed receiving on Friday in Abuja. According to her, the suit has finally opened the opportunity she was denied by the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

In a statement, Akpoti-Uduaghan said the court process now provides the platform she has long sought to establish the truth of her claims.

She maintained that she would demonstrate before the court that she was sexually harassed, and that her refusal to yield to the alleged advances led to what she described as prolonged political attacks against her.

“See you in court, Godswill Akpabio,” she declared.

Akpabio’s lawsuit accuses the Kogi Central senator of disseminating malicious allegations that portrayed him as a predator who abused his office for personal gratification. The suit, filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, seeks ₦200 billion in damages, retractions, and public apologies to be broadcast nationwide.

Court filings show that the Senate President is asking for the removal of all online materials containing the allegations, insisting the claims subjected him to widespread ridicule, reputational injury, and emotional distress.

Documents in the case include a comprehensive Statement of Claim and a list of witnesses. Akpabio argues that millions of Nigerians consumed the interviews—aired on television, radio, and circulated online—leading to a wave of backlash he describes as humiliating and deeply damaging.

A court order issued on November 6, 2025, granted the claimant permission to serve court documents on Akpoti-Uduaghan through the Clerk of the National Assembly after attempts at direct service proved unsuccessful.

With both sides now officially before the court, the matter is set to proceed, marking what could become one of the most closely watched political and legal battles in Nigeria’s recent history