Senate President Godswill Akpabio has provided fresh insight into his decision to withdraw a series of high-profile defamation suits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and other individuals, framing the move as a conscious act of leadership, moral reflection and institutional responsibility.
Naija247News reports that Akpabio’s explanation was conveyed in a statement released on Friday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, following public curiosity over his sudden retreat from multiple court battles.
According to the statement, the Senate President acknowledged that litigation had long served as a means of defending his reputation in Nigeria’s fiercely competitive political environment. However, he said the choice to abandon pending cases marked a deliberate interruption of what had become an accepted culture of political self-defence through the courts.
Naija247News gathered that Akpabio believes leadership of the National Assembly demands a higher level of restraint, especially in a chamber comprising 109 senators with diverse ambitions, ideologies and political loyalties. He argued that constant legal confrontations risk undermining credibility, focus and institutional harmony.
“The Senate has been unusually productive and notably calm,” the statement noted, citing the passage of over 96 bills within two years, with more than 58 receiving presidential assent. Naija247News understands that Akpabio views this stability as evidence of a leadership style anchored on consensus rather than confrontation.
The Senate President further described forgiveness not as a private emotional decision but as a form of “civic pedagogy,” suggesting that public officials must model restraint in order to strengthen democratic culture.
Naija247News reports that Akpabio’s decision followed a personal moment of reflection during a New Year Mass at Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He disclosed during the service that a homily on forgiveness prompted him to reassess nearly nine defamation suits he had instituted against individuals over alleged reputational damage.
“I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me,” Akpabio was quoted as saying, adding that he immediately instructed his lawyers to withdraw all pending cases.
Among the withdrawn suits was a ₦200 billion defamation action filed in late 2025 against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of sexual harassment, which Akpabio had strongly denied. His wife had also filed separate defamation suits linked to the same controversy.
Naija247News gathered that the legal disputes intensified after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate in 2025, an action she claimed was politically motivated, leading to counter-suits including a ₦100 billion claim against Akpabio.
With the withdrawal of all cases instituted by the Senate President, the prolonged legal standoff has effectively come to an end, signaling what observers describe as a strategic reset aimed at preserving unity and focus within the National Assembly as the new year unfolds.
Babatunde Ogunsakin ✔
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