Akpabio Reveals Reasons for Dropping Defamation Case Against Natasha, Others

Citing moral authority, religious conviction, and the responsibilities of his role as a legislative leader, Senate President Godswill Akpabio explained his decision to withdraw the defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and other outstanding legal cases. He characterized the action as a conscious and principled choice.

Akpabio made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh.

The statement partly read, “In a political culture where litigation has become an extension of reputation management, this was no minor gesture.

“Akpabio had been unapologetic about defending his name through the courts.

“The law, in his hands, had been both shield and sword. To voluntarily lay it down is to interrupt a habit of power.

“The question, therefore, is not whether Akpabio could afford to forgive. It is why he chose to do so.

“This is where forgiveness ceases to be sentimental and becomes political philosophy. The same drive for tangible outcomes has characterised, albeit differently, his tenure as Senate President.”

Continuing, Akpabio said leading a Senate of 109 members with competing ambitions requires restraint, credibility and example-setting, rather than prolonged legal battles that could distract from governance.

“The Senate has been unusually productive and notably calm—more than ninety-six bills passed in two years, with over fifty-eight assented to by the President.

“In a chamber once notorious for theatrics, this stability is not accidental. It reflects a leadership style that values restraint over spectacle and consensus over conquest.

“This is why the withdrawal of lawsuits should be read not merely as personal forgiveness but as public modelling. Forgiveness, in this sense, becomes civic pedagogy,” he stated.

The former Akwa Ibom State governor announced the withdrawal of all litigations at the start of the year, following a New Year resolution to forgive perceived offenders and discontinue all defamation suits he had instituted.

According to the report, Akpabio said he directed his lawyers to withdraw the cases after being moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.

Notable among the cases withdrawn was the N200bn defamation suit filed in late 2025 against Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of sexual harassment.