Former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has said that the sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has significant contradictions, calling on her to provide more evidence to prove her allegations against the Senate President.
Agbakoba made the call at a press conference, which took place at his Apapa, Lagos office on Tuesday, declaring that Natasha’s allegation “as it currently stands, falls short of the threshold for proving sexual harassment anywhere in the world.”
The renowned lawyer, while noting that sexual harassment is a serious matter that deserves careful and fair consideration, said a review of the available public records revealed significant contradictions that must be considered for a fair evaluation of the situation, even as he expressed the belief “that proper institutional processes, rather than media forums, provide the appropriate venue for addressing such serious matters.”
Agbakoba, who equally made this demand in an open letter to Natasha, while further noting that individuals should feel safe to speak up in an ideal society, however, insisted that the principles of justice, which required evidence and fairness must be upheld.
This was just as he quickly recalled that the embattled senator had claimed that she was sexually harassed by Akpabio on December 8, 2023, but went on social media to eulogise the same Senate President a day after that.
“Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan claims that she was sexually harassed by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on December 8, 2023.
“However, merely one day later, on December 9, 2023, she publicly posted favourable messages about the Senate President on both her Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) accounts.
“In these posts, she eulogised the Senate President and spoke highly of the birthday event she attended in Uyo, Akwa Ibom,” he said.
“The juxtaposition of these two events, an alleged traumatic harassment, followed by voluntary public expressions of admiration requires careful consideration,” he added.
Speaking further, Agbakoba also recalled that previous allegations against Reno Omokri by Senator Natasha, but said this could not be proved due to evidence provided by the former that he was not even in the country as at that time.
“Mr. Omokri produced conclusive evidence, including his international passport stamp and a first-class British Airways ticket, to establish that he was not even in the country between the 4th -7th of May, 2014 which falls within the date mentioned by Senator Natasha (6 May, 2014). Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently deleted her video allegations after this evidence emerged,” he said.
“Sexual harassment is a serious matter that deserves careful and fair consideration. We acknowledge the difficulty faced by anyone making such allegations and the importance of treating all parties with dignity.
“Our review of the available public records reveals significant contradictions that must be considered for a fair evaluation of the situation.
“We believe that proper institutional processes, rather than media forums provide the appropriate venue for addressing such serious matters,” Agbakoba said.
“In view of the above, we request Senator Natasha to provide more evidence, particularly in furtherance to the fact that previously stated she reserves the right to provide further particulars and evidence to support her allegations against the Senate President.
“We feel like the allegation as it currently stands falls short of the threshold for proving sexual harassment anywhere in the world,” he added.
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