ABUJA — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has reaffirmed her commitment to seeing through a sexual harassment suit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, stating that the matter will be pursued to its logical conclusion in court.

The senator made this declaration in a formal response dated April 30, addressed to Akpabio’s legal counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Olisa Agbakoba. The letter follows Agbakoba’s earlier demand for a retraction of what he termed “false and unsubstantiated” allegations of sexual harassment leveled against his client.

Agbakoba had previously raised what he called “significant inconsistencies” in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims and demanded clarification. He argued that her failure to address these contradictions undermined the credibility of the accusations. In his initial letter dated April 14, 2025, the senior lawyer insisted that the allegations were baseless and defamatory.

In her response, however, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood firmly by her claims, describing them as a truthful account of the events in question. She criticized the demand for further evidence outside of the proceedings already before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, in relation to a suit filed by Akpabio’s wife, Unoma Akpabio (Suit No. CV/816/25), which she described as “connected.”

According to the senator, any further details regarding the allegations would be provided “in the ordinary course of disclosure,” subject to the court’s directives. She argued that evidence assessment is a judicial responsibility, and not one that should be conducted through media channels or extrajudicial correspondence.

“The nature of your demand for evidence in this manner, at the instance of your client, simply indicates a broader misconception of what truly amounts to sexual harassment as prescribed in several global protocols,” she wrote, adding that such a request reflects a “narrow perspective” on a “global menace.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan went on to accuse the Senate President of attempting to manipulate public perception while shielding the matter from formal legislative scrutiny due to his privileged role.

“It is irreconcilable that your client now mounts a media campaign, allegedly through you, to demand that I furnish proof in a domain he would not allow to be addressed by the Senate,” she stated. “The principle is elementary: a litigant may not approbate in the courts and reprobate in the press.”

She warned that any attempt to bypass due legal processes would amount to undermining the rule of law and judicial integrity, principles which she noted Agbakoba himself has long advocated.

With both parties digging in, the case appears set for a protracted legal battle, as Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasized that all future arguments and disclosures would be made within the confines of the courtroom.