The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has decided to withdraw the defamation suit filed against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Akpabio in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh said:
“In a political culture where litigation has become an extension of reputation management, this was no minor gesture. Akpabio had been unapologetic about defending his name through the courts.”
“The law, in his hands, had been both shield and sword. To voluntarily lay it down is to interrupt a habit of power. The question, therefore, is not whether Akpabio could afford to forgive. It is why he chose to do so.”
“This is where forgiveness ceases to be sentimental and becomes political philosophy. The same drive for tangible outcomes has characterised, albeit differently, his tenure as Senate President.”
“The Senate has been unusually productive and notably calm—more than ninety-six bills passed in two years, with over fifty-eight assented to by the President.”
“In a chamber once notorious for theatrics, this stability is not accidental. It reflects a leadership style that values restraint over spectacle and consensus over conquest.”
“This is why the withdrawal of lawsuits should be read not merely as personal forgiveness but as public modelling. Forgiveness, in this sense, becomes civic pedagogy.”
Meanwhile, Akpabio speaking during a church service recently said:
“I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.”
“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
Notably, among the cases withdrawn was a ₦200 billion defamation suit filed in late 2025 against Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of sexual harassment—claims Akpabio had denied and challenged her to substantiate in court.
Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife had also instituted separate defamation suits against the Kogi Central senator, alleging that statements made about her husband had damaged the family’s reputation.
These legal battles marked a significant escalation in the strained relationship between the two senators, which worsened after Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025 following her public allegations of misconduct.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, in turn, had approached the courts to challenge actions taken against her, including a ₦100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and others over remarks she claimed were injurious to her reputation.