Natasha Denies Attempting to Hire UK Based Advocate to Rope in Akpabio
Embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has denied allegations made against her by United Kingdom-based Nigerian businesswoman, Sandra Duru, also known as Prof Mgbeke.
Duru had accused Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of falsely accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment and attempting to recruit her into a media campaign against him.
In a statement released on Friday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the allegations as “false” and claimed that Duru was acting on behalf of Senate President Akpabio.
“To the best of my knowledge, those words are false and did not arise from any legitimate interaction involving me. I also recently discovered that the individual now identifying as Sandra Duru previously operated under the name Prof. Mgbeke on Facebook,” she said.
The controversy began on Thursday evening when Duru made several allegations against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in a Facebook livestream. Duru claimed that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had attempted to recruit her into a media campaign against Akpabio, offering her millions of naira and large sums in US dollars.
She also alleged that the ultimate aim of the campaign was to oust Akpabio and weaken President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by removing a key ally in the National Assembly.
To support her claims, Duru played several audio recordings during the broadcast, which she claimed were phone conversations between her and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
However, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has denied the authenticity of the recordings, stating that she would respond more fully to the “unfounded allegations” in due course.
The controversy surrounding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio began in February 2025, when she accused him of sexual harassment during a televised interview. She claimed that Akpabio made inappropriate comments and suggested her legislative proposal would only be considered if she “took care” of him.
Akpabio denied the allegations, saying he had never harassed any woman and urged Nigerians to let the court handle the matter.
The Senate subsequently suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without pay, citing “unruly and disruptive” conduct. Her harassment complaint was dismissed on procedural grounds, as she submitted it herself rather than through another senator, which violated Senate rules.
The suspension followed a dispute over a new seating arrangement in the chamber, which Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan believed was meant to humiliate her. She later claimed on national TV that her suspension was punishment for rejecting Akpabio’s alleged advances – a claim he denied.
The latest allegations by Duru have added a new twist to the controversy, with many Nigerians taking to social media to express their opinions on the matter.
While some have expressed support for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, others have accused her of trying to bring down Akpabio and the Senate.
As the drama unfolds, it remains to be seen how the situation will play out. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to respond more fully to the allegations in due course, while Akpabio has maintained his innocence throughout the controversy.
