Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been at the center of public controversy, has issued a sarcastic apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio in response to the sexual harassment allegations she previously made against him. This apology comes amidst a tense legal battle between the two politicians and follows Akpabio's recent trip to Rome to attend the funeral of the late Pope Francis, a journey that has garnered significant media attention. The letter, which was shared with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, marks a dramatic turn in the ongoing public clash between the two figures.
The backdrop of this apology is a highly charged political environment. Natasha Akpoti, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 due to a dispute over a new seating arrangement in the chamber, had previously accused Akpabio of attempting to punish her for rejecting his alleged sexual advances. Her allegations sparked widespread outrage and led to international attention when she raised the issue during the Women in Parliament session at the United Nations’ Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in New York. At that time, she called for global intervention to address the harassment she claimed to have faced from the Senate President.
In her latest move, Akpoti-Uduaghan penned a highly satirical and biting apology letter to Akpabio. The tone of the letter was deliberately sarcastic, with Akpoti-Uduaghan expressing mock regret for what she framed as her "crime" of possessing dignity and self-respect in Akpabio’s presence. She framed her refusal to comply with Akpabio's alleged advances as a failure to conform to the unwritten expectations of certain men in powerful positions. In her letter, she mockingly lamented that success in the political world, as seen by some, is not earned through competence and hard work, but through "compliance" of a personal nature. This was a direct jab at the alleged abuse of power that she claims to have encountered during her time in the Senate.
The letter read;
“Dear Distinguished Senate President Godswill Akpabio, It is with the deepest sarcasm and utmost theatrical regret that I tender this apology for the grievous crime of possessing dignity and self-respect in your most exalted presence. I have reflected extensively on my 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 further criticized the political system, writing that she now understood that her refusal to give in to Akpabio's alleged "requests" was a violation of the “unwritten laws of certain men’s entitlement.” She emphasized that her success in the Senate was based on her competence and the mandate given to her by the people, not on personal favors or "private dinners behind closed doors." Her statement further reflected the frustrations she felt with the existing political system, which she believes undervalues integrity and prioritizes personal relationships.
“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 the unwritten laws of certain men’s entitlement. Truly, I must apologize for prioritizing competence over capitulation, vision over vanity, and the people’s mandate over private dinners behind closed doors.”
In her mock apology, she made a scathing critique of the consequences of her actions, which she claimed were exaggerated by her critics. She sarcastically referred to the so-called "disruption" she allegedly caused, including delayed legislation, angry reactions from some colleagues, and bruised egos. By doing so, she underscored the farcical nature of the situation, positioning herself as a victim of a political system more concerned with personal gains than public service. She further stated that her actions had been misunderstood and that she regretted having disrupted the so-called natural order of political exchange.
“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. For this disruption to the natural order of “quid pro quo,” I bow my head in fictional shame.”
Finally, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s letter took a personal turn as she mocked Akpabio’s sense of entitlement and sarcastically requested forgiveness for her “stubbornness.” In her words, she had mistakenly believed that her Senate seat was earned through elections and merit, not through personal compromises. She concluded the letter by reaffirming her stance as a politician who would remain "Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken," despite the political pressure she faces. The letter served not only as a form of apology but also as a declaration of her resilience and refusal to bow to political pressure or corruption.
“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. I remain Yours in eternal resistance, Senator Natasha H Akpoti Uduaghan Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken.”