The ongoing controversy surrounding sexual harassment allegations made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan took a new turn on Saturday, as fresh claims of blackmail and media manipulation surfaced.
Francess Olisa-Ogbonnaya, a former Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor on Gender Matters and Political Empowerment, alleged during a podcast with US-based journalist Adeola Fayehun that US-based activist Sandra Duru, known online as Prof. Mgbeke, is being used to discredit Senator Natasha through a coordinated smear campaign.
Olisa-Ogbonnaya, also a journalist and political figure, claimed Duru attempted to recruit her into the plot by sending her ₦100,000 under the guise of Easter charity, then pressuring her to publicly attack Natasha using a questionable audio clip. She said the recording was inconclusive and possibly doctored.
“She sent me an audio and claimed Natasha denied any harassment, but it didn’t prove anything,” she said. “She asked me to go on TV and blast Natasha. I refused.”
According to Olisa-Ogbonnaya, Duru planned to spend ₦13 million to influence media coverage using paid influencers. “She didn’t want a neutral voice. She wanted someone to destroy Natasha,” she said.
In response, Duru took to social media to dismiss the allegations, accusing Olisa-Ogbonnaya of making false claims after being asked for a refund for what she called substandard voiceover work. “She benefited from my charity like many others. Her claims are baseless. The audio used in the LIE-TASHA documentary was verified by forensic experts,” Duru said, branding her critics as part of “Team LIE-TASHA.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6 following her sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio. A court later issued a gag order preventing both parties from making public comments on the matter.
Despite the restriction, the issue has continued to stir debate online through indirect statements, leaks, and social media exchanges. Natasha’s recent “apology letter” — widely seen as sarcastic — further fueled the controversy.
As legal proceedings continue, observers have expressed concern that the case’s core issues — sexual harassment, abuse of power, and gender rights — risk being drowned out by political infighting and personal vendettas.