By The OBSERVERS TIMES
A deepening controversy is unfolding around Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, following contradictory accounts over the involvement of Olisa Agbakoba SAN in a legal matter involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
While Akpabio’s lawyers openly told a Federal High Court that neither Olisa Agbakoba SAN nor Monday Ubani SAN were ever engaged as legal representatives by the Senate President, fresh documents obtained exclusively by The Observers Times tell a different story—one that raises questions about legal transparency at the highest levels of political power.
A Courtroom Denial That Raised Eyebrows
On 12 May 2025, during a session at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Akpabio’s counsel addressed the court emphatically:
“Olisa Agbakoba SAN and Monday Ubani SAN were never engaged by the 3rd Defendant. They were not part of the legal team and did not act on behalf of Senator Akpabio,” the lawyer insisted.
The denial came during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/441/2024, which centres around allegations of sexual harassment and unlawful suspension brought forward by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The legal team’s statement was intended to absolve Senator Akpabio of any contempt of court, following accusations that letters sent by Agbakoba and Ubani to the complainant were in breach of a court order restraining action on the matter.
Documents Tell a Different Story
However, in the course of its investigation, The Observers Times obtained and authenticated a signed letter, dated 14 April 2025, printed on the official letterhead of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) and personally signed by Dr Olisa Agbakoba SAN. The document directly identifies Senator Godswill Akpabio as their client.
The letter, which spans two pages and bears official stamps, was addressed to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in response to her 4 March 2025 petition alleging sexual harassment.
The opening paragraph reads:
“We are Solicitors to Senator Godswill Akpabio (our Client) and write based on his instructions regarding your claim of sexual harassment stated in your petition dated 4th March 2025.”
OBSERVERS TIMES has confirmed that this letter was physically delivered to the complainant and is on record in her legal team’s filings.
The document challenges the claim made in court, pointing instead to a formal engagement of legal services between Akpabio and the firm.
Timeline of Events Compiled by The Observers Times
Through its independent review, The Observers Times compiled a detailed timeline of relevant events:
4 March 2025: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan lodges a formal petition alleging sexual harassment by Senator Akpabio.
5 March 2025: She makes a public post on social media, referring to Akpabio as “kind and caring,” a contradiction noted in the letter from OAL.
14 April 2025: Olisa Agbakoba Legal issues a detailed response to the allegation on behalf of Akpabio.
12 May 2025: Akpabio’s lawyers deny ever engaging Agbakoba or Ubani before the Federal High Court.
This sequence reveals stark inconsistencies between the documentary evidence and the courtroom testimony.
Inside the Letter: Points of Concern
The legal letter obtained by OBSERVERS TIMES also outlines OAL’s concern over the alleged inconsistency in Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s behaviour. It reads:
“We painstakingly reviewed your claims and have concerns. On the one hand, you allege sexual harassment, and on the other, you praise our Client’s character.”
It continues:
“You made a post on 5 March 2025 referring to our Client as ‘kind and caring.’ This is difficult to reconcile with the allegations.”
The firm also cited a 2021 accusation by the same Senator against former presidential aide Reno Omokri, claiming sexual harassment in a hotel in Lagos.
The letter notes that Mr Omokri allegedly produced a passport-stamped alibi showing he was in Geneva, not Lagos, at the time.
Widespread Media Coverage and Reputational Fallout
The letter expressed alarm over what it described as a coordinated media campaign:
“Your story was published by ThisDay, Punch, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, BBC and RT Afrika. This widespread coverage has damaged our Client’s reputation locally and internationally.”
It suggested the complainant was attempting to “secure conviction by media,” and sought a retraction and apology.
This portion of the letter, The Observers Times observes, reflects a growing trend of legal actors using media to assert positions outside the courtroom, a phenomenon that is reshaping the balance between judicial process and public opinion in Nigeria’s political sphere.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Legal Position
In a counter-motion seen by OBSERVERS TIMES , Jibrin Okutepa SAN, representing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, accused Senator Akpabio of violating a standing court order by acting on a suspension matter still under litigation.
He argued:
“This application is not only malicious but if granted would amount to rewarding contempt. Kogi Central Senatorial District remains without representation due to this unlawful suspension.”
Okutepa’s team is pressing for contempt sanctions, and a ruling on the matter is expected on 20 May 2025.
As Nigerians look on, a simple question continues to linger: Was Olisa Agbakoba SAN truly acting on behalf of Senator Akpabio, or was his involvement a legal misstep?
The answer may lie not in the court’s rulings alone, but in the official letters, verified signatures, and the public record elements that The Observers Times will continue to scrutinise in the days ahead.
