A civil society organization, Defenders of Integrity in Public Leadership (DIPL), has intensified calls for the prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged falsehood and what they described as "calculated blackmail" against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Ibrahim Abdullahi, the group accused the Kogi Central senator of making serious allegations without providing substantiating evidence.
"Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has finally crossed the red line — and Nigerians must no longer remain silent in the face of her shameless descent into dangerous falsehood and calculated blackmail of sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio," the statement read in part.
Allegations Without Evidence
DIPL claimed that Senator Natasha has been conducting a "well-orchestrated media tour of deceit" on both local and international platforms with the sole purpose of damaging the Senate President's reputation through what they termed "baseless, unsubstantiated, and malicious sexual harassment allegations."
"Since making this grave accusation, she has failed — repeatedly — to present a single piece of evidence. No text. No call log. No witness. No date. No location. Just a poisonous concoction of imagination, bitterness, and vendetta," the group stated.
The organization further alleged that Senator Natasha has now changed tactics after being sued for defamation, claiming she is "running from accountability, ducking the legal process, and suddenly playing the tired, old card of 'victimization'."
Call for Legal Accountability
DIPL urged the senator to substantiate her claims in court rather than continuing with what they described as "media propaganda." The group characterized her actions as not just an attack on an individual but "an assault on the integrity of leadership, on the credibility of legitimate victims of sexual abuse, and on the trust the Nigerian people place in their elected representatives."
"Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan's calculated use of media propaganda over the legal process is a cowardly act. If she truly believes her claims, she should walk boldly into the courtroom and prove them," the statement continued.
The organization called on Nigerians to "reject her circus of deceit" and demanded that she either face the court with factual evidence or publicly apologize for what they described as "the monumental damage her lies have caused."
This development comes amid ongoing legal proceedings related to defamation suits against the senator, who has made allegations against both Senate President Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
BenriNews will continue to monitor this developing story as it unfolds in the coming weeks.
Stay updated with the latest political developments by following us on our social media platforms:
