Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has explained why he withdrew his defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and other legal actions, saying the decision was based on leadership responsibility, faith and the need for stability in the Senate.
Akpabio gave the explanation in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh.
According to the statement, the Senate President deliberately chose to abandon the lawsuits despite being firm in the past about defending his reputation in court.
“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 statement said.
It added, “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.”
Akpabio said leading a Senate made up of 109 senators with different ambitions requires restraint and moral authority, rather than constant legal battles that could distract from lawmaking.
He noted that the current Senate has recorded relative calm and productivity under his leadership.
“The Senate has been unusually productive and notably calm, with more than ninety-six bills passed in two years and over fifty-eight assented to by the President,” he said.
“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.”
According to him, the withdrawal of the lawsuits should be seen beyond personal forgiveness.
“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,” Akpabio stated.
The Senate President had earlier announced at the start of the year that he would discontinue all defamation cases he instituted, following a New Year resolution to forgive those he believed had wronged him.
Akpabio traced the decision to a personal moment during a New Year Mass at Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where a sermon on forgiveness affected him deeply.
Speaking during the church service, he revealed that he had filed almost nine defamation cases in court.
“I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name,” he said.
“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
Among the withdrawn cases was the ₦200bn defamation suit filed in late 2025 against Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of sexual harassment, which Akpabio had denied and asked her to prove in court.
Akpabio’s wife had also earlier filed separate defamation suits against the Kogi Central senator, accusing her of damaging the family’s reputation.
The legal disputes followed months of tension between both senators, especially after Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had also gone to court, filing a ₦100bn defamation suit against Akpabio and others over remarks she said harmed her reputation.
With Akpabio’s directive to his lawyers, all defamation suits filed by him have now been formally withdrawn, bringing an end to the high-profile legal battles as the new year begins.
The Senate President said the move reflects the broader demands of leadership, stressing that forgiveness and restraint are essential for unity and effective governance in the National Assembly.
