Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has formally accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and a U.S.-based Nigerian woman, Dr. Sandra Duru, also known on social media as “Professor Mgbeke,” of defamation and endangering her life through an alleged coordinated smear campaign.
In a petition submitted to the Inspector General of Police, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Duru, in collaboration with Akpabio, had embarked on a deliberate mission to damage her reputation and undermine her safety. The petition, dated May 15, 2025, and referenced WIC/W/AB/W3/17/25, was filed by her legal representatives, West-Idahosa SAN & Co Chambers, Abuja, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa.
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According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, “On 28th February 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Senator Akpabio of sexual harassment during a televised interview, citing instances where he allegedly demanded sexual favours in exchange for legislative support.”
She added that instead of pursuing a proper investigation, the Senate, under Akpabio’s leadership, dismissed the petition and suspended her on March 6, 2025, for six months on grounds of “unruly” conduct. The suspension, she claimed, stemmed from a seating arrangement issue but was widely perceived as a retaliatory move to suppress her allegations.
“This highly unusual suspension over a seating arrangement dispute was widely condemned as a punitive response to her allegations and an attempt to silence her voice,” the petition stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that shortly after her suspension, she began to notice a wave of defamatory narratives targeted at her on social and traditional media, which she now believes were orchestrated as part of a calculated retaliation. “Evidence now shows that this was no organic backlash, but a coordinated smear campaign sponsored by Senator Akpabio as a form of revenge,” she alleged.
Central to this campaign, she claimed, is Dr. Sandra Duru, who allegedly broadcast a series of damaging claims via social media. During a recent livestream, Duru accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of admitting that her allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio were false and aimed at displacing him as Senate President to pave the way for a plan to “remove the Yoruba government.” She also claimed that Akpoti-Uduaghan insulted Nigerians by referring to them as “G and H” — “Gullible and Hungry.”
The Senator from Kogi Central has denied all the claims, insisting they are deliberate distractions from the core issue of her harassment allegations.
The petition further highlighted details from Duru’s livestream on May 1, 2025, where her call log allegedly displayed contacts with high-profile individuals including “Senator Akpabio” (with two saved numbers), “IGP Kayode,” “CP Imo Aboki Danjuma,” “My Daddy Directline,” and “Oby Ndukwe,” the media aide to the Senate President.
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“The presence of these names, particularly those occupying high-level positions within Nigeria’s security architecture, strongly suggests that Senator Akpabio and Dr. Duru were acting in concert, possibly with the support or knowledge of certain police officials,” the letter stated.
According to the petition, “This revelation further strengthens our client’s position that the defamatory campaign and associated threats were not the isolated acts of a rogue individual, but the product of a coordinated effort involving Senator Akpabio and his political and security network, intended to discredit, harass, and endanger her.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on the police to launch a thorough investigation into the matter, urging them to examine those involved in the planning and execution of the alleged campaign. She specifically requested the questioning of Dr. Duru, key witnesses, and accomplices, as well as forensic analysis of digital evidence such as audio recordings, call logs, and other files.
“She called for questioning of Dr. Duru and other implicated individuals, including key witnesses and accomplices as well as a forensic examination of electronic evidence, including doctored audio recordings, call logs, and digital files.”
She also appealed for security protection for herself and witnesses linked to the case.
“That the Police thoroughly investigate the veracity of all statements made by ‘Prof. Mgbeke’ (now revealed to be Sandra Duru) during and after the 1 May 2025 broadcast, including all communications between her and known associates of Senator Akpabio,” the petition added.
“That statements and actions of third-party collaborators who publicly endorsed the defamatory broadcast, be examined to determine their knowledge of and participation in the conspiracy.”
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Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded by urging the Nigeria Police Force to treat the matter as a serious criminal conspiracy.
“In conclusion, we maintain that the actions against our client amount to a criminal enterprise violating multiple laws.
“We respectfully urge your service to painstakingly investigate the contents of this Petition and ensure that justice is expeditiously dispensed to all who may be found wanting regardless of their status in the Nigerian society,” the petition read.
