Natasha apologizes to Akpabio over harassment allegation in sarcastic letter
Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Sunday issued a public apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio over allegations of sexual harassment.
However, the apology, conveyed through a satirical letter, appeared to mock rather than express genuine remorse.
The letter, shared with journalists in Abuja, came while Akpabio was in Rome attending funeral rites for the late Pope Francis.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had been suspended on March 6 after a dispute with Senate leadership concerning a controversial change in seating arrangements, which she claimed was intended to marginalize her.
The situation escalated when she accused Akpabio on national television of punishing her after she rejected alleged sexual advances from him.
During a session for Women in Parliament at the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting at the United Nations in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed for international scrutiny of the Nigerian Senate.
She criticized the sanctions imposed on her, including the withdrawal of her security detail, salary cuts, and a six-month suspension from the National Assembly.
Following legal battles, a court order prohibited both parties from discussing the matter publicly until the case is resolved.
Despite the court’s directive, Akpoti-Uduaghan published an open letter on Sunday, shortly after Akpabio led a federal delegation to the Vatican.
In the letter, she wrote, “Dear Distinguished Senate President Godswill Akpabio, It is with the deepest sarcasm and utmost theatrical regret that I tender this apology for the grievous crime of possessing dignity and self-respect in your most exalted presence.”
She continued with a strongly worded critique, accusing Akpabio of fostering a culture where loyalty is expected through personal compliance rather than merit, and mocked the notion that Senate positions could be influenced by personal favors.
Concluding her letter, she said, “Please find it in your magnanimous heart — somewhere buried deep beneath layers of entitlement — to forgive this stubborn woman who mistakenly believed that her seat in the Senate was earned through elections, not erections.
I remain Yours in eternal resistance, Senator Natasha H. Akpoti-Uduaghan. Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken.”