An advocacy group, Action Collective, has warned against dragging Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan into a confrontation between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Sandra Duru over the rift between the former Senate President and Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Teddy Onyejuwe, the group noted that Sandra Duru, also known as Prof. Mgbeke, recently alleged that Akpabio engaged her to damage Akpoti-Uduaghan politically, including claims that she travelled between Nigeria, the United States, and Europe in connection with the alleged assignment. The allegations have not been independently verified.
The group recalled that in 2025, Duru had accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of offering her N200 million to make allegations against Akpabio — a claim Akpoti-Uduaghan denied.
Now, Duru alleges that Akpabio was actually behind an effort against Akpoti-Uduaghan, the group added.
Onyejuwe said the turn of events should prompt Nigerians to ask who was really behind the competing campaigns and why what he called “the false narrative by Sandra Duru against Natasha” was promoted in the first place.
“Whatever happened between Sandra Duru and Akpabio should now be addressed by the two of them. Natasha should not be dragged into their current war,” Onyejuwe said.
He recalled that the crisis between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan erupted publicly in February 2025 following a dispute over her seating arrangement in the Senate.
He added that Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently alleged that her problems with Akpabio were connected to alleged sexual advances she said he made toward her in December 2023 during a visit to Akwa Ibom.
He said the dispute escalated, culminating in her six-month suspension from the Senate in March 2025.
Onyejuwe said the latest accusations by Duru have now turned the spotlight back on Duru and Akpabio themselves.
He said the emerging allegations, if substantiated, would make it even more important to separate Akpoti-Uduaghan from the current dispute, and that those allegedly involved should face the matter squarely.
“If there was an agreement, let those who allegedly made it explain. If there was a conspiracy, let the evidence establish it. But Natasha was not a party to whatever discussions may have taken place between Duru and Akpabio,” he said.
“Duru and Akpabio should fight their own battle. Natasha should not be their ammunition,” he added.
