Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has confirmed receipt of a newly filed ₦200 billion lawsuit instituted against her by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who is alleging defamation relating to accusations of sexual harassment.
In a public statement issued on Friday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she welcomed the development, noting that it now provides a judicial avenue to address allegations she had previously been unable to present before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
According to her, the committee had earlier declined to grant her an audience, reportedly on the grounds that the Senate President’s wife had already instituted a separate defamation case against her, making the matter “sub judice.”
She added that under Senate rules, she was required to first present her case before the committee before seeking judicial redress — a process she said was blocked.
The senator further described the same committee as responsible for what she termed her “illegal suspension,” adding that the new lawsuit would now provide a platform to fully disclose details of the alleged sexual harassment and the repercussions she claimed followed her refusal to yield to inappropriate advances.
“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,” she said.
In her statement, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan addressed Akpabio directly: “See you in court.”
The case is expected to draw nationwide attention as it proceeds, given its implications for accountability, workplace ethics, and the internal governance of Nigeria’s legislature.
