Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has delivered a pointedly satirical apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following recent tensions between the two lawmakers stemming from a dispute in the Senate chamber.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had earlier accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her, days after the two clashed over seating rearrangements during a legislative session.
In her letter, the senator conveyed “deepest sarcasm and utmost theatrical regret” for “the grievous crime of possessing dignity and self-respect” in Akpabio’s presence.
She further acknowledged her “unforgivable failure to recognise that legislative success in certain quarters is apparently not earned through merit, but through the ancient art of compliance — of the very personal kind.”
Continuing her satirical tone, Akpoti-Uduaghan apologised for prioritising “competence over capitulation, vision over vanity, and the people’s mandate over private dinners behind closed doors.”
“I now realize the catastrophic consequences of my actions: legislation delayed, tempers flared, and the tragic bruising of egos so large they require their own postcodes,” she added.
“For this disruption to the natural order of ‘quid pro quo,’ I bow my head in fictional shame.
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.”
Background
On April 4, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the allegations made against him by Akpoti-Uduaghan as “baseless, false, and inflammatory.”
Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, revealed in a statement that a formal letter is being prepared, demanding public retractions, an apology, and compensation for reputational harm caused by the Kogi senator’s allegations. Eyiboh characterised her claims as “a complete fabrication” and “a dangerous attempt to provoke unrest and attract undue media attention.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously stated that any acts of violence during her engagements with constituents should be attributed to Akpabio, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, and former governor Yahaya Bello.
The dispute between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan became public in February, when the Kogi Central senator accused the Senate President of making sexual advances towards her, allegedly at his office and residence in Akwa Ibom State.
These accusations surfaced shortly after the two clashed over seating arrangements in the Senate.
Subsequently, on March 6, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for “gross misconduct.”
