The suspended Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), has issued a satirical and sharply worded “apology” to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, further intensifying the ongoing tensions within Nigeria’s legislative arena.
In a letter laced with biting irony, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan mockingly apologised for what she described as the “grievous crime” of maintaining dignity and self-respect in the Senate President’s presence.
The letter, which has since gone viral, targeted perceived gender biases and entrenched power dynamics in the National Assembly.
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“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,” she wrote.
Addressing systemic sexism, the senator 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.”
In the strongly-worded letter, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate leadership of valuing compliance over merit and private acquiescence over public service.
She sarcastically acknowledged the “catastrophic consequences” of her refusal to conform, including “legislation delayed” and “egos bruised.”
The confrontation between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio dates back to July 2024, when Akpabio publicly rebuked her during a plenary session with the remark, “We are not in a nightclub,” a comment widely condemned as sexist. Although Akpabio later claimed no harm was intended, tensions only deepened.
Recall that in February 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan formally accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, citing inappropriate comments and advances — allegations which were dismissed on procedural grounds.
In March 2025, the Senate suspended her for six months over what it termed “unparliamentary conduct,” a move critics described as politically motivated and retaliatory.
The senator’s suspension sparked widespread protests, especially among women’s rights groups, who rallied under the slogan “We are all Natasha,” decrying what they said was systemic gender discrimination in Nigerian politics.
While some groups, such as the Kogi Patriotic Consultative Assembly, urged Akpoti-Uduaghan to apologise and move on, many Nigerians praised her bold resistance, seeing her as a symbol of defiance against entrenched misogyny.
For his part, Senate President Akpabio has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as “baseless” and “malicious,” and has threatened legal action for defamation and character assassination.
With her latest letter, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has once again captured national attention, cementing her position as a fearless voice challenging the status quo in Nigeria’s political landscape.
