In the grand theatre of Nigerian politics, where drama and intrigue are as common as potholes on our roads, we now have a new episode starring Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio, wife of the Senate President. This saga, rich in allegations, lawsuits, and demands for astronomical sums, could easily be mistaken for a Nollywood blockbuster—if only it weren’t our reality.
This isn’t the first time Senate President Godswill Akpabio has found himself in the eye of such a storm. In 2020, Joi Nunieh, the former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), accused Akpabio of sexual harassment. Nunieh claimed that during her tenure, Akpabio made inappropriate advances, leading her to physically defend herself. She stated, “I slapped Akpabio for sexually harassing me.”
Fast forward to 2025, and history seems to be repeating itself. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has come forward with allegations that Akpabio made inappropriate advances towards her, even in the presence of her husband. She claims that on December 8, 2023, during a visit to Akpabio’s residence in Uyo, he held her hand and led her around his house, making suggestive comments along the way. She further alleges that Akpabio insinuated she should “take care of him” if she wanted her motions to receive favorable consideration on the Senate floor.
Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio has taken it upon herself to defend her husband’s honour by filing two defamation lawsuits against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, demanding a whopping N250 billion in damages. Yes, you read that correctly—N250 billion. To put that in perspective, that’s enough to fund several state budgets or perhaps buy a small European country.
Mrs. Akpabio claims that these allegations have caused her and her children emotional and psychological distress, leading them to live in constant fear. One can only imagine the terror of being associated with such a scandal in our ever-forgiving society. She is also seeking a court declaration that the allegations are defamatory, a formal written retraction, and an unconditional apology to be published in two national newspapers.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan earlier filed a defamation lawsuit against the Senate President and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, seeking N100 billion in damages and an additional N300 million in litigation costs. This counter-suit stems from a Facebook post allegedly made by Mr. Patrick, criticising her conduct in the Senate. Clearly, in Nigerian politics, social media posts are now valued higher than oil reserves.
As this legal tit-for-tat unfolds, one can’t help but marvel at the sheer scale of the damages being demanded. It’s as if our politicians have discovered a new goldmine in the form of defamation lawsuits. Perhaps this is the solution to our economic woes—encourage all public figures to sue each other for astronomical sums and watch the naira strengthen overnight.
The gravity of these allegations has not gone unnoticed. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki have called for a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the matter, emphasizing that such allegations should never be dismissed, especially when they involve a public officer with immense power and responsibility.
Akpoti-Uduaghan submitted a petition, which the Senate didn’t waste time in throwing away. Akpabio also defended himself saying his mother raised him well enough not to disrespect or harass women.
As this Akpabio/ Akpoti-Uduaghan legal and moral drama unfolds, the Nigerian public finds itself in the familiar role of spectator, watching as those in power navigate scandals that would make for compelling cinema. Whether justice will be served or political theatrics will prevail remains to be seen.
In the meantime, the rest of us can only sit back and enjoy the spectacle, popcorn in hand, as our leaders engage in this high-stakes game of legal chess. After all, who needs Netflix when you have the Nigerian political arena?
