April 15, (THEWILL) – Renowned lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has stated that the sexual harassment allegation levelled against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan falls short of the evidentiary threshold required to establish such claims.
Natasha had accused Akpabio of persistent sexual harassment. She claimed that Akpabio’s hostility towards her stems from her refusal to entertain them.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, Agbakoba said the allegation, “as it currently stands, contains significant contradictions and falls short of the threshold for proving sexual harassment anywhere in the world.”
Agbakoba, who also serves as Akpabio’s legal counsel, noted that while it is important to create an environment where individuals feel safe to speak up, such allegations must still adhere to principles of fairness and justice, particularly with regard to verifiable evidence.
The senior lawyer disclosed that, acting on instructions from the Senate President, he had written a formal letter to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan requesting clarification over “several contradictions” in her public allegations, which have garnered wide coverage in both local and international media.
He emphasised that while it is essential in any civilised society for individuals to feel safe enough to voice allegations, such claims must be weighed against principles of justice, including the need for consistency, credible evidence, and fairness.
“This widespread coverage has seriously harmed our client’s reputation. We are willing to allow you a reasonable time to address the contradictions raised, while our client reserves the right to pursue legal redress”, the letter read.
Dr Agbakoba specifically highlighted the inconsistency between the date of the alleged harassment—December 8, 2023—and the favourable social media posts made by the senator the following day. According to him, Akpoti-Uduaghan not only attended the event in Uyo but also praised Senator Akpabio in glowing terms across her Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) platforms.
“The juxtaposition of these two events—an alleged traumatic experience followed by affectionate public praise—cannot be ignored. It demands serious scrutiny”, he said.
The senior advocate also referenced similar past allegations involving public figures like Reno Omokri and a serving minister, stressing that each case must be assessed independently but with equal rigour. In his view, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s narrative raises enough questions to merit a deeper, institutionally guided review rather than trial by media.
“Sexual harassment is a grave matter that must be addressed thoughtfully and fairly. While victims deserve empathy, the rights of the accused to due process must not be overlooked. Serious allegations such as this require proper institutional handling, not media sensationalism”, Agbakoba concluded.
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