In a striking blend of apology and satire, suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has addressed Senate President Godswill Akpabio, reiterating accusations of sexual harassment while mockingly apologizing for her defiance.
The open letter, released as Akpabio attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate on March 6, after a dispute over allegedly discriminatory seating arrangements. She later accused Akpabio publicly of retaliating after she rebuffed his alleged sexual advances.
At the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan further condemned the Senate’s treatment of her, highlighting her suspension, loss of security detail, and salary cuts, urging international bodies to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable. Both parties are now under a court-imposed gag order, forbidding public commentary until the legal proceedings conclude.
In her letter, Akpoti-Uduaghan sarcastically apologized for “possessing dignity and self-respect” and criticized a culture of “quid pro quo” politics. She ended the letter defiantly, signing off as:
“Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken.”
