By Abubakar Yunusa
A coalition of civil society organizations, led by the Independent Public Service and Accountability Watch (IPSAW) and Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative (TADI), on Wednesday, condemned what they described as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “theatrics and deviation” from legal pursuit of justice following her continued sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The CSOs expressed profound disappointment over what they termed “a dangerous detour from truth, justice, and democratic integrity,” insisting that Senator Natasha has chosen political dramatization and media sensationalism over formal legal redress.
Addressing the press, Comrade Adeniran Taiwo Olugbenga and Comrade Stephen Eriba, who spoke on behalf of several advocacy groups including Allied Civil Society Organization (ACSO), Guardians of Democracy and Development, and Forum of Progressive Youth Leaders (FPYL), maintained that the Senator’s continuous engagement with social media, defamation suits, and “cryptic threats” has only muddied the waters and diverted public attention from the core allegation.
“This is not how democracy works. This is not how justice is pursued,” they declared.
They highlighted the gravity of Senator Natasha’s original claim, that she was sexually harassed on the floor of the Senate by Senator Akpabio, as one that demanded a direct, evidence-backed legal action, not what they described as a “media-fueled crusade riddled with emotional outbursts.”
While acknowledging the gender imbalance and the courage it takes to speak against a sitting Senate President, the coalition insisted that genuine justice can only be achieved through judicial processes, not “Facebook posts, defamation suits, and allusions to invisible enemies.”
“When you raise an allegation as profound as sexual harassment, especially against the nation’s third-highest-ranking official, the burden of proof is not a political inconvenience, it is a civic duty,” the statement read.
The groups warned that Senator Natasha’s current approach could harm both male and female participants in politics, making real survivors of abuse less likely to be believed, while exposing others to reputational harm without due process.
They emphasized that the weaponization of gender-based allegations for political sympathy or vendetta risks undermining decades of advocacy for gender inclusion, justice, and due process.
“We refuse to allow the gains of gender equity and political decency to be sacrificed on the altar of personal sensationalism,” the coalition added, urging Senator Natasha to file a direct sexual harassment suit if her claims are genuine.
The CSOs also appealed to women’s rights advocates, gender-based organizations, and civic actors not to rally behind individuals based on sentiment but to support systems that ensure fairness, integrity, and protection for all parties involved.
“No one should be silenced, but no one should be allowed to hijack the moral weight of real struggles for personal gamesmanship,” they said.
The statement concluded with a warning: “Senator Natasha still has the opportunity to restore the integrity of her cause. But the clock is ticking.”
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