Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has stirred renewed debate about gender bias and power dynamics in Nigeria’s political space with a scathing, satirical “apology” directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Suspended from her position as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Akpoti-Uduaghan penned a letter laced with irony, in which she mocked what she described as the Senate President’s sense of entitlement and expectations of compliance from female legislators.
In the letter, Akpoti-Uduaghan sarcastically expressed “regret” for maintaining her self-respect and independence, insinuating that her refusal to meet unspecified “requests” from Akpabio was being treated as a transgression against an unwritten code of male privilege. She pointedly criticized what she sees as a culture that rewards submission over merit, stating that she had mistakenly believed that political office was earned through elections rather than through personal compliance or gender-based favoritism.
Her letter highlighted the broader issue of systemic sexism, using sharp wit to expose what she described as the fragility of egos within the Senate. “Legislation delayed, tempers flared, and the tragic bruising of egos so large they require their own postcodes,” she wrote, further reinforcing her critique of political pettiness and male dominance in governance. The letter ended with a strong affirmation of her resistance: “Unafraid, Unbought, and Unbroken.”
The tension between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio began in July 2024 after Akpabio dismissed her during a Senate session with the sexist comment, “We are not in a nightclub.” Though he later claimed no harm was intended, relations deteriorated further when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused him of sexual harassment in early 2025 — allegations which were dismissed on procedural grounds. Her subsequent suspension from the Senate was officially attributed to unrelated issues, but many Nigerians interpreted it as retaliation.
Her defiant stance has sparked nationwide support, especially from women’s rights groups, under the slogan “We are all Natasha.” While some political factions have urged her to issue a formal apology and move on, many Nigerians see her as a courageous figure challenging entrenched patriarchal norms. Meanwhile, Akpabio continues to deny all allegations, threatening legal action in response to what he has termed defamatory claims.