SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS: Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan responds to Agbakoba’s call to withdraw suit against Akpabio

Suspended Senator for Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has pushed back against demands from legal luminary Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), who called on her to retract allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In a letter dated April 30 and addressed to Agbakoba’s chambers, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood her ground, describing her petition as an honest account of events and vowing to pursue the matter in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

Her response followed Agbakoba’s public dismissal of her claims as “false and unsubstantiated,” accompanied by a call for a public retraction.

Firmly rejecting the demand, Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that the courtroom, not public commentary, is the appropriate forum for testing evidence. She criticized Agbakoba’s request as an attempt to preempt legal procedures and misrepresent the complexities of handling sexual harassment cases.

“The assessment of evidence belongs to the courts alone,” she wrote. “The nature of your demand… simply indicates a broader misconception of what truly amounts to sexual harassment as prescribed in several global protocols.”

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The senator, who has remained outspoken despite her suspension, described the letter from Agbakoba as part of a wider pattern of intimidation. She warned that such tactics risk trivializing the legal system and the sensitive nature of sexual harassment claims.

“Your client appears intent on relegating this matter to the backwaters of public ridicule,” she added. “This letter undermines the process and erodes the very rule-of-law principles that you, sir, are widely celebrated for championing.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan also expressed concern over what she called a coordinated media campaign designed to discredit her claims. She accused Agbakoba of contributing to an environment where media narratives seek to influence ongoing legal proceedings.

“A litigant may not approbate in the courts and reprobate in the press,” she cautioned, invoking the legal principle against parallel adjudication. “This is not merely a matter of decorum—it is fundamental to preserving the fairness and dignity of judicial proceedings.”

Agbakoba had earlier questioned the credibility of the senator’s petition, citing inconsistencies and the absence of corroborating evidence. His firm’s response reflected skepticism over the allegations, characterizing them as damaging and unsubstantiated.

The controversy now moves from the courtroom of public opinion to the formal corridors of justice, where the FCT High Court is expected to adjudicate on the merits of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims.

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