Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has firmly denied breaching a court order that bars her from making public statements or granting interviews related to her allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s response comes in the wake of a legal motion filed by Akpabio’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Kehinde Ogunwumiju, urging the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel her to delete a satirical video she posted on Facebook on April 27. In the video, she mockingly “apologised” to the Senate President, stating she was “sorry for the crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect” and for not allowing Akpabio to “have his way.”
The legal team argued that the post violated a judge’s directive and asked the court to order its removal across all her social media platforms. The video, which quickly gained attention online, was widely perceived as a satirical critique of Akpabio, further intensifying the rift between the two senators, which began after Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate President of making inappropriate advances during a disagreement over Senate seating arrangements.
In a counter-affidavit filed in response, Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the allegations as “misleading, inaccurate, and not reflective of the true state of affairs.”
She stated, “My Facebook post of 27th April 2025, styled ‘Satirical Apology Letter,’ neither mentions this action nor references any matter subjudice; it is political satire on patriarchal norms in the legislature and is protected speech under Section 39(1) of the Constitution.”
She added that the video could not have prejudiced the proceedings and noted that no evidence of prejudice had been presented. She further claimed that a counsel to Akpabio, Mr. Monday Ubani, had himself commented publicly on the case via Facebook, criticizing her directly.
“The instant motion is borne of malice and intended to harass, intimidate, and scandalise me for exercising my constitutionally guaranteed right to fair hearing and to free expression,” she declared.
