Akpabio Drops 9 Defamation Lawsuits After Priest’s Sermon Hits Home
By: Abudu Olalekan
Godswill Akpabio just did something nobody saw coming. Like, really out of nowhere. You think you’ve seen it all in Nigerian politics? You havent seen this yet. The Senate President has decided to forgive his enemies. Or atleast, he’s decided to stop suing them. Which is basically the same thing, right?
It happened on Thursday. At the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo.
Akpabio was there for the New Year Mass, looking all solemn and important. Then the priest started his sermon. And according to Akpabio, it was like a lightning bolt. He said the homily was speaking directly to him. He felt convicted. The Holy Spirit moved him. Whatever you want to call it.
Next thing you know, he’s grabbing the mic. In front of the whole congregation, he made an announcement that probably shocked his lawyers more than anyone.
“I had almost nine cases in court,” he told the crowd. Nine! Can you imagine? Thats alot of legal paperwork. “Against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.”
He went on. “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.”
Just like that. Poof. Gone.
Now, you cant understand why this is huge without knowing the tea. The main person on that hitlist was Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan. Their beef is legendary. It’s been the main event for months.
Remember that N200 billion lawsuit? Yeah. Two hundred BILLION naira. Akpabio filed that against her in late 2025. It was over those wild allegations of sexual harassment. He denied it, ofcourse, and dared her to prove it in court. Which she tried to do.
But it was a two-way street oh. She slapped him with a N100 billion countersuit. Said he damaged her reputation. Then Akpabio’s own wife jumped in too! Mrs Akpabio filed her own suit against Natasha, claiming she had dragged the family name through the mud. It was messy. Very messy.
This all started after Natasha accused Akpabio of orchestrating her suspension from the Senate in March 2025. She said he punished her for blowing the whistle on his misconduct. He said she was just being unruly. Back and forth. Throwing billions around like it was change.
So for him to just stand up in church and say “stop” is… wild. Is it a genuine change of heart? A new year, new me moment? Or is it just good optics?
Because lets be real, suing a fellow senator for N200 billion doesn’t look great. Dropping it right after a sermon? That looks like humility. That looks like strength. Smart move politically, if you ask me. But who knows what’s really in a man’s heart?
He’s calling it closure. Signalling an end to the litigations as the year begins. A formal end to the wahala.
But imagine being Natasha today. Imagine waking up and seeing the news that the N200 billion case is gone. She’s probably confused. Is it a trap? Did he just forgive N300 billion in potential damages? Thats not something you see everyday.
Whatever the reason, the courts are gonna be a little quieter. The lawyers are probably fuming. All that work. All those motions. Gone. Because a priest said something nice in Uyo.
Nigerian politics is a trip. You really have to see it to believe it. Akpabio says he’s moved on. He’s listening to the priest now, not the haters. We’ll see how long that lasts. But for now, the lawsuits are dead. And thats the gist.
