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The suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has denied allegations made against her by United Kingdom-based Nigerian businesswoman, Sandra Duru, who is also known as Prof Mgbeke.
In a Facebook livestream on Thursday evening, Duru alleged that Senator Natasha falsely accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment.
She further claimed that Senator Natasha attempted to recruit her into a media campaign against Akpabio by offering millions of naira and large sums in US dollars.
Duru, who made several other accusations, alleged that the ultimate aim of Senator Natasha’s campaign was to oust Akpabio and thereby politically weaken President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by removing a key ally in the National Assembly.
To support her claims, Duru played several audio recordings during the broadcast, which she claimed were phone conversations between her and Senator Natasha.
But responding to the allegations in a statement on Friday, Senator Natasha dismissed them as false, asserting that Duru was acting on behalf of Senate President Akpabio.
“I have carefully watched a livestream done by one Sandra C. Duru on Facebook, on May 1, 2025. The content of the livestream, including the voice attributed to me, is entirely untrue and has been manipulated to serve Sandra Duru’s ulterior motive of executing Senator Godswill Akpabio’s script,” Natasha said.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan first accused the Senate President of sexual harassment during a televised interview in February 2025.
She claimed that Akpabio made inappropriate comments and suggested her legislative proposal would only be considered if she “took care” of him. She also said he invited her to spend private time with him.
Akpabio denied the allegations, saying he had never harassed any woman and urged Nigerians to let the court handle the matter.
On March 6 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without pay, citing “unruly and disruptive” conduct. Her harassment complaint was dismissed on procedural grounds, as she submitted it herself rather than through another senator, which violated Senate rules.
Her suspension followed a dispute over a new seating arrangement in the chamber, which she believed was meant to humiliate her. She later claimed on national TV that her suspension was punishment for rejecting Akpabio’s alleged advances — a claim he denied.
“To the best of my knowledge, those words are false and did not arise from any legitimate interaction involving me. I also recently discovered that the individual now identifying as Sandra Duru previously operated under the name Prof. Mgbeke on Facebook.”
The Senate said the suspension could be lifted if she issued a written apology. The situation sparked widespread protests under the slogan “We Are All Natasha,” with rallies held in cities including Lagos, Enugu, Edo, and Kaduna.
Calling the suspension a “witch-hunt,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said it was an attempt to silence her. She took her case to the international stage during a Women in Parliament event at the United Nations, where she described the Senate’s action as illegal and called for global support.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) dismissed a petition to recall her, saying it “failed to meet constitutional standards.”
This was not the first time the two senators clashed. In July 2024, Akpabio publicly reprimanded her during a Senate session, saying, “We are not in a nightclub,” after she spoke without recognition. The comment drew heavy criticism as “sexist,” leading to a public apology from Akpabio.
