Senator Natasha Akpoti and her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan have given Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi 14-day ultimatum to apologize to them over his statements made on News Central TV alleging that their marriage was a product of blackmail.
Senator Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) is the Deputy Chief Whip of the Nigeria Senate,and the witness of the Senate President in the sexual harassment battle with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The demand was contained in a letter dated 27 March and written by Mr Uduaghan’s legal counsel, Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN).
The letter referred Mr Nwebonyi to his allegations on News Central that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan pressured her husband into marriage through blackmail, claiming that their union was established under duress.
“In my own assessment she is not among the beautiful women in Nigeria and it is high time we come hard on her and why people like us are speaking on top of our voice is not just to protect and defend the senate president but to protect and defend her future victims. Even her present husband, she married him out of something like this. She threatened to sue the man. I have a letter circulated over the world that the man should pay her N10 billion or marry her under duress.
“So the marriage was under duress. A product of blackmail. I was watching a video of how the father of the first wife of the husband narrated her ordeal. This lady came into their family, destabilised the family and took over her husband. And without going into her character, ask Senator Natasha how many husbands has she had in her life at the age of 47 or 45,” Mr Nwebonyi said during the interview on News Central TV.
The family’s lawyer refuted the allegations and emphasised that the senator and her husband are well-respected personalities.
“The said defamatory statements made by you were widely circulated by users of other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and many more within and outside Nigeria with the intention of damaging the reputation of our clients.
“Contrary to the malicious words spoken by you, our clients are very respectable, successful, result oriented and self-decision driven members of the Nigerian Society. Chief Uduaghan is a very successful businessman, community leader, high chief and philanthropist, known for upholding cherished values of the Nigerian society to the admiration of many,” the lawyer said.
The legal counsel noted that the defamatory statements had caused embarrassment, distrust, and damage to the couple’s reputation among family, friends, and associates.
“Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is a successful Nigerian politician, opinion moulder, defender of the needy, efficient wife and mother well admired at home and abroad.
“Since you uttered your said defamatory words that were widely aired, some family members, friends, political and business associates of our clients now view them with a strange level of disdain and distrust. Our clients have been deeply embarrassed by the extent and effect of your false and malicious words,” he said.
The family, through their lawyer, demanded a public apology within 14 days of receiving the letter and that the apology must be prominently aired on News Central Television and widely circulated across social media platforms where the defamatory statements were spread.
“Consequently, we hereby demand a written apology from you within 14 days from the date of your receipt of this letter. The apology should be widely circulated. It must, in particular, be aired on News Central TV and published by various social media platforms which published your defarnatory words,” the lawyer said.
The counsel warned that failure to comply would result in legal action to seek redress for the reputational damage inflicted on Mr Uduaghan and his wife.
“Failing a satisfactory response from you, our instruction is to initiate the necessary legal process to seek redress for our clients ” he said.
