Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, declined a request from the lawyer of Senate President Godswill Akpabio to settle her sexual harassment case outside the courtroom.
She insisted that the matter should continue in court and be fully investigated.
The senator earlier accused Akpabio of harassing her and has now said she has no interest in handling the issue quietly.
Her rejection came after Akpabio’s lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, urged her to consider ending the matter without court involvement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the idea, saying her concern is not about compensation or negotiation, but about truth and accountability.
She insisted that the case must go through proper legal steps so that the issue can be addressed clearly and openly.
According to her, no woman should be pressured into silence after speaking up about harassment, especially when the person involved holds a high position.
This development comes after Agbakoba questioned the senator’s claims, saying she had not yet presented enough proof to back her allegations.
He also pointed out differences in her timeline, suggesting that she praised Akpabio publicly shortly after claiming he harassed her.
According to him, such praise, shared on social media a day after the alleged incident, raises questions about the story’s consistency.
Agbakoba added that every claim must be examined carefully to ensure that accusations are not being used wrongly.
Although he did not completely rule out the possibility of harassment, he said the case should be studied properly, and there should be proof before conclusions are made.
Despite these concerns, Akpoti-Uduaghan is pushing forward with her case and says her aim is not personal gain but justice. She also believes that the actions of the Senate President may send a wrong message to the current government if they go unchecked.
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