Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has issued a blistering, satirical “apology” directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio, intensifying a saga that has drawn widespread public attention.
In a letter released on Sunday, dripping with sarcasm and defiance, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan “apologized” for what she described as the crime of “possessing dignity and self-respect” in the face of alleged inappropriate advances from Akpabio.
Her letter crystallizes a growing frustration with the perceived misogyny and old-boys’ culture still gripping Nigeria’s corridors of power.
Mockingly portraying herself as having disrupted the unwritten norms of political patronage and entitlement, she wrote, “How remiss of me not to understand that my refusal to indulge your… ‘requests’ was not merely a personal choice, but a constitutional violation of the unwritten laws of certain men’s entitlement.”
The letter, styled as an open communication from her desk, fiercely criticized what she characterized as a culture where merit is secondary to personal compliance.
In an unmistakably bold jab, Akpoti-Uduaghan stated, “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.”
This latest move comes after weeks of controversy, following her accusations of sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio, her subsequent suspension from the Senate, and a ₦100 billion lawsuit filed against him.
Women’s groups, civil society organizations, and political commentators have rallied in support of Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing her case as emblematic of the broader struggles women face in Nigeria’s political arena.
However, while her outcry has been widely praised for its courage and symbolic power, the lack of concrete evidence to substantiate her allegations could haunt her political career in the long term.
Without solid proof, her bold stand risks being perceived as a personal vendetta, potentially damaging her credibility and derailing her aspirations in an environment already hostile to dissenting women.
Meanwhile, the Senate leadership has maintained a strategic silence, refusing to dignify the letter with a formal response — a silence that speaks volumes about the political chess game unfolding behind the scenes.
For now, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains a symbol: “Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken,”as she describes herself.