Akpabio Takes Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to Court Over Sarcastic Apology Post
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has turned to the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking it to compel Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to delete a satirical apology she shared on social media, which he claims violates a standing court order.
The Kogi Central senator stirred controversy on April 27 when she posted a sarcastic apology on her official Facebook page, accompanied by a short video. In the post, she ‘apologised’ to Akpabio for what she described as the “crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect.”
Her post came despite a court order from Justice Binta Nyako, which explicitly barred both parties from making public statements about the ongoing legal dispute, particularly concerning allegations of sexual harassment, until the matter is resolved in court.
Akpabio’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kehinde Ogunwumiju, has asked the court to enforce the gag order by directing Akpoti-Uduaghan to remove the post from all her social media accounts. They are also seeking a court mandate for her to issue a formal written apology published in at least two national newspapers and to swear an affidavit confirming that she has complied.
The tension between the lawmakers traces back to a heated disagreement over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber earlier this year. Matters escalated in March when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate President of sexual harassment — a move that preceded her suspension from the chamber.
