Renowned lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has written a second letter to the suspended senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, demanding a retraction of what he described as her “clearly false and unsubstantiated” sexual harassment allegations against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
He said the latest letter became necessary, owing to the fact that the embattled Senator had failed to clarify the significant contradictions in her allegations against Akpabio, as demanded in his first letter, dated April 14, 2025.
Agbakoba, who is also the Senate President’s lawyer, made this known at an elaborate press conference in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said, instead of clarifying the contradictions in her allegation that Akpabio sexually harassed her on December 8, 2023, and her exaltation of her alleged harasser on her social media accounts on December 9, 2023; Natasha deleted her social media post.
In a letter he signed for Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), dated April 22, 2025, and made available to journalists, the former NBA President said, “Recall that in our first letter to you, dated April 14, 2025, we requested that you clarify contradictions in your sexual harassment allegation against our client, Senator Godswill Akpabio. Of note is the contradiction as to timeline and dates.
“You have failed to clarify your sexual harassment allegation on December 8, 2023 and your exaltation of Senator Akpabio on your social media accounts (Instagram and X/Twitter) on December 9, 2023 – the day after you alleged he sexually harassed you.
“Rather than clarify this contradiction, you deleted the social media post, which to us is extremely concerning.”
The renowned lawyer told journalists that no matter what was said about Akbapio, the duty to prove the allegation rests with the embattled Kogi senator.
In addition to the clarification Akpabio’s solicitors requested, they also asked Akpoti-Uduaghan to clarify the lengthy timeline it took for her to make the sexual harassment allegation.
Agbakoba said, “You claim that the sexual harassment occurred on December 8, 2023 but your allegation was not made until 28th February 2025. One year and 2 months after?
“Additionally, rather than take up this serious allegation that occurred on 8 December 2023, you were seen throughout 2024 at several legislative and non-legislative events (locally and internationally) with Senator Akpabio, your alleged harasser.
“For example, you were seen together at the Inter-Parliamentary Union session in Geneva on the 24th and 25th of March 2024. In fact, you took several selfies and group photos with him during these events.
“All these events were posted in warm tones by you on your social media platforms. Please see screenshot copies of your Facebook post(s) and other photos you took with Senator Akpabio. We find this contradictory and unbelievable.”
“In light of this and having also failed to clarify inconsistencies pointed in our first letter to you, we demand that you retract sexual harassment allegations against our client as they are clearly false and unsubstantiated,” Agbakoba declared.
