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The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in Nigeria, Kayode Egbetokun, claiming that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, orchestrated “a coordinated smear campaign” targeted at destroying her image.
Natasha claimed in a letter titled ‘Petition Against Coordinated Defamation and Cyberbullying by Sponsored Syndicate at the Behest of the President of the Senate – Godswill Akpabio,’ dated May 15, and accused the Senate President of “deploying media proxies to publish false and damaging stories” about her.
She refers to numerous online platforms which concurrently published articles on May 10, alleging she sponsored terrorism, orchestrated killings in Kogi central, and involvement in illegal arms deals.
“These publications were not only identical in content but also strategically timed and syndicated across various platforms in a manner that suggests a centrally coordinated attack,” Ehiogie West-Idahosa, counsel to the senator, wrote in the petition.
She added that the claim was “baseless, malicious, and defamatory,” but also posed a danger to her life, her family, and her political career and the posts published “cyberbullying and character assassination” orchestrated to delegitimise her as a federal lawmaker and create grounds for politically motivated investigations or legal actions.
The senator who was suspended some weeks ago referred to her being maligned during the Kogi state governorship election in 2023, as a contestant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
She urged the IGP to probe Akpabio and the media outlets involved, saying, “I respectfully request that your esteemed office investigate this matter thoroughly and bring to justice all individuals and organisations involved in this coordinated defamation campaign,” the petition reads.
“It is imperative that those who misuse their positions of power to intimidate and malign others are held accountable.
“This pattern of cyberbullying and political blackmail must not be allowed to continue unchecked.
“It poses a grave threat to democracy, free speech, and the integrity of our institutions,” she stated.
