Suspended Chair of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), has reignited controversy in Nigeria’s Senate with a blisteringly sarcastic letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement thick with satire, Akpoti-Uduaghan offered a “heartfelt apology” for the “crime” of maintaining her dignity and self-respect in Akpabio’s presence. Mocking perceived entitlement and systemic sexism, 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 certain men’s entitlement.”
Driving the point further, she added:
“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.”
Her letter, signed “Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken,” throws a harsh spotlight on the gender power dynamics and alleged culture of sexism within Nigeria’s legislative institutions.
Tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio have been simmering since July 2024, when the Senate President interrupted her on the Senate floor with the remark, “We are not in a nightclub.” The comment was widely criticized as sexist, leading to public outrage. Although Akpabio later issued a conciliatory statement, relations between the two deteriorated.
In February 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan formally accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, citing inappropriate remarks and advances. Her petition was dismissed on technical grounds, and she was later suspended from the Senate for six months—officially for unrelated reasons, though many perceived it as retaliation.
Her suspension sparked a wave of protests under the slogan “We are all Natasha,” with women’s rights groups and civil society organizations rallying around her, portraying her as a symbol of resistance to entrenched misogyny in politics.
While some groups, such as the Kogi Patriotic Consultative Assembly, urged her to apologize and “move forward,” others applauded her fearless stand against discrimination.
Senate President Akpabio has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them “baseless” and “malicious,” and has threatened to pursue legal action against Akpoti-Uduaghan for defamation.
As the political drama unfolds, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s fiery response has further cemented her reputation as one of the most unyielding and outspoken figures in Nigeria’s political landscape.
