The suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Wednesday, issued a formal denial of any involvement in or connection with an audio and video recording currently circulating online, which purports to feature her in conversation with a journalist. In the said material, the voice attributed to her allegedly claims that the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, blackmailed the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the intention of securing her incarceration.
In a statement personally signed and released in Abuja, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan unequivocally disclaimed any authorship, participation, or endorsement of the contents of the aforementioned recordings. She further urged members of the public, media, and relevant authorities to treat the materials as false, malicious, and wholly unrepresentative of her person or position.
Describing the recordings as a “deliberate act of misinformation,” Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan characterized the incident as a calculated and coordinated effort to defame her character and disrupt the integrity of the National Assembly.
Her statement reads in part:
“I categorically and unequivocally dissociate myself from this video and audio recording. At no time did I grant such an interview or hold any such conversation with a journalist or anyone else. The voice in the recording is not mine — it has been cloned and manipulated with clear malicious intent.
This is a calculated attempt to mislead the public, damage my reputation, and stir division within the leadership of the National Assembly and the Federal Government. It is not only mischievous and criminal but also a dangerous abuse of technology to spread falsehood.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan reserves all legal rights and remedies available to her under Nigerian and international law in respect of this defamatory and technologically manipulated publication.
Continuing in her statement, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to the principles of truth, justice, and responsible democratic engagement. She emphasized that, as a public servant, her conduct has at all times remained consistent with the rule of law and the ethical standards expected of elected officials.
She further revealed that her legal representatives have been duly instructed to initiate appropriate legal proceedings, and that the relevant security and law enforcement agencies have been engaged to conduct a thorough investigation into the source, production, and dissemination of the fabricated materials. Their mandate includes identifying and prosecuting the individuals or entities responsible for this criminal impersonation and defamation.
“The general public is hereby advised to regard the circulating audio and video recordings as entirely false, misleading, and devoid of any factual basis. The materials represent a deliberate and malicious attempt by desperate actors to malign the reputation of a law-abiding and peace-loving public servant.
I remain resolute in my service to the people of Kogi Central and to Nigeria at large. I urge all well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant and discerning in the face of orchestrated campaigns of disinformation and digital identity manipulation, which are calculated to provoke unwarranted political instability.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan concluded by reiterating her trust in the capacity of Nigeria’s legal and security institutions to address this matter swiftly and in accordance with the law.#newsafro_
