Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has reaffirmed her support for suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, amidst ongoing legal battles and controversy.
She said the embattled lawmaker “will never ever lack the unwavering support” of women and allies around the world.
Ezekwesili’s statement follows recent criminal charges filed against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Federal Government over alleged defamatory remarks made during a television interview.
The charges, filed under Section 391 and punishable under Section 392 of the Penal Code, accuse the senator of making statements “with knowledge or reason to believe” they would harm another person’s reputation.
The suit, marked CR/297/25 and filed on May 16, 2025, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, lists Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello as key witnesses. Akpoti-Uduaghan is the sole defendant.
The senator has been at the centre of controversy since her suspension from the Senate in March for allegedly refusing to occupy an assigned seat. She has since accused Senate President Akpabio of victimizing her after she allegedly rejected his sexual advances—allegations that further intensified when she claimed both Akpabio and Bello were plotting to kill her.
Breaking silence following recent developments, Ezekwesili took to social media to denounce attempts to isolate or undermine women in leadership, describing Akpoti-Uduaghan as a trailblazer deserving of unwavering solidarity.
She wrote, “Women in Public Leadership was introduced last March on the occasion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia chairing the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)2025.
“To further the goals of expanding the number, influence and impact of women in public leadership, our organization @WPLeadersOrg Women Political Leaders hosted an inaugural meeting of a global community of women in public leadership in Riyadh as part of the @FortuneMPW Summit.
“We were thrilled to welcome Baroness @theresa_may who joined and offered insights and inspiration to the amazing community of women globally who have begun to co-create the Women in Public Leadership (WIP) Programme with a sense of collective ownership and shared purpose.
“Political and Public Leadership spaces will be transformed for wider and greater impact as more women step into them in our world.
“The world needs more and not less women in political and public leadership.
“Those who venture like the distinguished Senator @NatashaAkpoti will never ever lack the unwavering support of the rest of us and those great and decent men who are true allies to a vision that speeds up progress for our world.
“No woman who is heavy-lifting for society can ever walk alone. Never.”
It should be noted that Ezekwesili herself has faced allegations that she received financial incentives from Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for her support—claims she has yet to address directly.
