The suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Friday dismissed claims that she defied a court order barring her from giving interviews or posting content on social media relating to her sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s response came after Akpabio filed a fresh suit demanding a formal apology, criticising her earlier one as insincere and mocking.
On April 27, Akpoti-Uduaghan posted a short video on Facebook in which she offered a sarcastic apology to the former Akwa Ibom governor. In it, she stated her only regret was not allowing him to “have his way” describing her “crime” as maintaining dignity and rejecting his advances — implying that the Senate President believed he was above refusal.
In response, Akpabio’s legal representative, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, filed an application at theHigh Court in Abuja. He argued that the post breached the court’s prior order and requested that it be deleted from all social media platforms.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, rejected the claim in a counter-affidavit filed on Friday. She maintained that the post did not violate the court’s instructions.
“The allegations are misleading and inaccurate,” she stated. “Except where expressly admitted, I deny every claim, conclusion, and insinuation made in the affidavit dated 5 May 2025.”
She explained that her April 27 post, titled ‘Satirical Apology Letter’, did not mention the ongoing legal action and was instead a political satire on entrenched patriarchal attitudes in the legislature. She further argued that her post was protected under Section 39(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.
“There is no evidence that the post prejudiced the proceedings. Meanwhile, on May 4, 2025, the applicant’s counsel, Mr Monday Ubani, SAN, made a Facebook post commenting directly on the matter and vilifying me,” she added.
Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded that the motion was malicious and intended to intimidate her for exercising her constitutional rights to free speech and a fair hearing.