Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, have given Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, a 24-hour ultimatum to retract comments he made about them.
The couple, through Uduaghan’s lawyers, issued a letter titled “Defamatory Statements Against Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,” demanding an apology from Nwaebonyi or face legal action.
Nwaebonyi, in an interview Wednesday, dismissed claims of sexual harassment against Natasha, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly, saying she should not consider herself among Nigeria’s most beautiful women.
He alleged that Natasha had a history of making accusations to manipulate situations in her favor.
Speaking on News Central TV, Nwaebonyi referenced an incident where Natasha accused former presidential aide Reno Omokri of sexual harassment during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
He claimed Omokri was in the U.S. at the time, making the allegation unfounded.
Nwaebonyi further alleged that Natasha pressured her husband into marriage, stating, “Even her present husband, she married him out of something like this. She threatened to sue the man.
“I have a letter circulated over the world that the man should pay her N10 billion or marry her under duress. So the marriage was under duress. A product of blackmail.”
He also questioned Natasha’s marital history, saying, “And without going into her character, ask Senator Natasha how many husbands has she had in her life at the age of 47 or 45?”
In their letter, Uduaghan’s lawyers argued that Nwaebonyi’s statements were defamatory and had been widely circulated on social media, damaging their clients’ reputations.
They listed several claims they deemed false, including allegations that Emmanuel Uduaghan was coerced into marriage and that Natasha engaged in serial blackmail.
The couple demanded a written apology within 14 days, to be broadcast on News Central TV and shared on the social media platforms that circulated the statements. Failure to comply, they warned, would result in legal action.
“Our clients have been deeply embarrassed by the extent and effect of your false and malicious words. Consequentiy, we hereby demand a written apology from you within 14 days from the date of your receipt of this letter.
“The apology should be widely circulated. It must, in particular, be aired on News Central TV and published by various social media platforms which published your defamatory words.
“Failing a satisfactory response from you, our instruction is to initiate the necessary legal process to seek redress for our cients. Please be informed,” the letter concluded.
