The Senator representing Kogi
Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has distanced herself from claims made by
one Sandra Duru, regarding an alleged plot to frame Senate President
Godswill Akpabio for sexual harassment and organ harvesting.
In a Facebook Live broadcast aired on Thursday night,
Duru who claimed to be a US activist, alleged that Senator Natasha had
approached her in a bid to stage damaging allegations against Akpabio. During
the one-hour, eight-minute live session, Duru displayed what she claimed to be
phone call logs and WhatsApp conversations between her and the suspended
lawmaker, suggesting a conspiracy to smear the Senate President.
Duru’s livestream comes amid an ongoing controversy
surrounding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent accusations that Senator Akpabio
made sexual advances toward her in the presence of her husband. The Senate,
citing her inability to substantiate the claims with evidence, suspended her
for six months in April.
However, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has now categorically
denied any association with Duru’s claims and accused the activist of spreading
falsehoods to tarnish her reputation and serve political interests.
In a statement she personally signed and released on
Friday, Natasha described Duru’s livestream as “manipulated” and “malicious,”
asserting that it was part of a coordinated effort to discredit her.
“I have carefully watched a livestream which was done
by one Sandra C. Duru on Facebook on May 1st, 2025. The content of the
livestream, including the voice effect credited to me, are entirely untrue and
most manipulated to serve Sandra Duru’s ulterior motive of playing the script
of Senator Godswill Akpabio,” she stated.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan also denied ever making
derogatory statements against prominent Nigerians, including former Minister of
Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, renowned legal practitioner Dr. Abiola
Akiyode-Afolabi, and members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers
(FIDA), all of whom were referenced disparagingly during Duru’s broadcast.
“To the best of my knowledge, those words used against
Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Dr. Abiola, FIDA and fellow Nigerians as ‘gullible and
hungry’ are crazy falsehoods and did not emanate from the natural cause of any
contact involving me,” Natasha added.
She further alleged that Sandra Duru had previously
operated on Facebook under the alias “Prof. Mgbeke,” suggesting that her
current actions may be part of a pattern of online manipulation and identity
switching.
“It was from recent research that I also found out
that the person who now represents herself as Sandra Duru is the same person
who operated as Prof. Mgbeke on Facebook,” she claimed.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded by assuring that she
would issue a comprehensive response to the allegations “in the nearest of
time,” hinting at legal or political steps to clear her name.
The development adds another layer of drama to the
high-stakes controversy surrounding the Senate and its leadership. Senator
Akpabio, who has remained largely silent since the initial allegations were
made against him, has yet to publicly respond to the new claims or the ongoing
public fallout.
Meanwhile, the Senate’s decision to suspend
Akpoti-Uduaghan has drawn mixed reactions, with some civil society groups
calling for a fair hearing and others demanding stricter accountability from
public officials making grave allegations.
The alleged involvement of third-party actors like
Duru and the emergence of supposed digital evidence have further muddled the
waters, raising questions about the influence of social media in shaping public
opinion and political outcomes.
As Nigerians await a promised detailed response from
Senator Natasha, the episode continues to dominate headlines and stir debate
about the intersection of gender, power, and politics in the nation’s highest
legislative chamber.
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