Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has refuted recent allegations by UK-based Nigerian activist and businesswoman, Sandra Duru, also known as Prof. Mgbeke.
Duru had, during a Facebook livestream on May 1, accused the senator of fabricating her sexual harassment claims against Akpabio and offering millions in naira and dollars to recruit her into a defamation campaign aimed at removing the Senate President.
She further alleged that the goal was to politically destabilize President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by targeting his 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.
“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.”
Senator Natasha stated that she would respond more fully to the “unfounded allegations” in due course.
Background to the Dispute
The controversy stems from Senator Natasha’s February 2025 televised allegation that Akpabio sexually harassed her and implied that her legislative work would be considered only if she “took care” of him. Akpabio denied the claims and called for legal processes to take their course.
On March 6, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for what it called “unruly and disruptive conduct.” Her harassment petition was dismissed for violating Senate procedure, as she submitted it herself rather than through another senator.
Following her suspension, protests erupted nationwide under the banner “We Are All Natasha.” Akpoti-Uduaghan has since labeled her suspension a “witch-hunt” and addressed the issue at a United Nations event, calling it an attempt to silence her.
INEC later dismissed a petition seeking her recall, citing lack of constitutional merit. The tension between both senators predates this controversy, with a notable exchange in July 2024 when Akpabio told Natasha, “We are not in a nightclub,” drawing public backlash for what many considered a sexist remark.
What you should know
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has consistently claimed that her suspension and the allegations against her are part of a broader effort to suppress dissent in the Senate.
The resurfacing of new claims by Sandra Duru appears to further inflame an already volatile political and gender rights issue at Nigeria’s highest legislative level.
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