Sexual Harassment: Akpabio Files ₦200bn Suit as Natasha Vows to ‘Prove Everything’

Nigeria’s political arena was thrust into sharp focus on Friday after Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio instituted a ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, escalating what is poised to become one of the most high-profile legal confrontations in recent years.

According to court filings, Senator Akpoti’s interviews—broadcast on television, radio, and widely shared across digital platforms—constituted a calculated smear campaign in which she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment. The lawsuit claims the allegations subjected the Senate President to “national humiliation, ridicule, and grave reputational injury.” Akpabio is seeking substantial redress, including monetary damages, deletion of all online publications containing the claims, and repeated nationwide apologies across multiple media outlets.

After earlier attempts to serve Senator Akpoti reportedly failed, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory granted approval for substituted service through the Clerk of the National Assembly on November 6, 2025, allowing the case to proceed.

In her response on Friday, Senator Akpoti acknowledged receipt of the lawsuit, describing it as the long-awaited chance she had been seeking. She noted that she had previously been barred from presenting her petition before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges—on the grounds that a related case was already in court—thereby denying her an avenue to express her claims.

“I’m ready to prove everything,” she declared emphatically. She pledged to show that she was sexually harassed and that her refusal to yield resulted in “sustained political intimidation and retaliation.” Her message to Akpabio was direct: “See you in court, Godswill Akpabio.”

The case, already drawing nationwide attention, is expected to put the credibility of both lawmakers under a microscope and test the Nigerian political system’s ability to address sexual misconduct allegations at the highest levels. As preparations intensify for witnesses, documents, and multimedia evidence, focus now shifts to the FCT High Court, where the legal battle will unfold.

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