Agboje Chuks
Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, has instituted a ₦200 billion defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Following receipt of the court documents, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan took to her official Facebook account, stating that the suit offers a platform for her to detail and present in court the circumstances of the alleged sexual harassment she faced.
This declaration has sparked debate among legal commentators.
The Senator’s phrasing—that she will “show how she was sexually harassed”—is being scrutinized.
Legal scholars suggest that this choice of words might imply a strategy of presenting a narrative based on circumstantial evidence, which is distinct from providing tangible, “evidential” proof of the core facts in issue.
A lawyer consulted on the matter clarified the semantic difference, noting that the act of “showing” typically involves explaining a process or sequence, whereas “proving” necessitates concrete evidence to substantiate a claim.
Separately, it has been reported that the Senator exhibited distress and discomfort—described as a “panic mood”—upon being officially served with the legal documents.
The Senator also revealed that her earlier attempt to bring the harassment allegations before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges was rebuffed, allegedly because Mrs. Akpabio had already initiated a legal proceedings on the same matter.
