The proxy war between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over sexual harassment allegations, assumed a fresh twist at the weekend when a journalist and gender advocate, Mrs Francess Olisa-Ogbonnaya dismissed claims by a United Kingdom based social media influencer, Sandra Duru, popularly known as Professor Mgbeke, alleging Natasha had threatened to bring down the “Yoruba Government” of President Bola Tinubu.
She also denounced claims by Duru that Natasha paid a former Minister of Education and ex-World Bank Vice President, Dr Oby Ezekwesili to cause a rancour during a parliamentary inquisition into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio by the Kogi Central Senator.
Speaking in an interview with Social Media personality, Adeola Fayehun, Olisa-Ogbonnaya wondered how possible it was for a minority senator from Kogi state to pull down Tinubu’s administration.
She said; “I was shocked when I heard her saying in the audio that Senator Natasha threatened to bring down a Yoruba Government. Why didn’t she put out that audio? Because nothing like that happened in the audio she (Duru) played for me.
So, it was really baffling hearing her say Natasha said she bought Dr Oby Ezekwesili or that Nigerians are hungry and gullible. If that audio is anything to go by, what I heard from the original one she sent was Natasha sounding excited that she was supporting her and talking about her life, how she grew up and how she struggled in politics to get to where she is, while thanking her for her efforts. So, where on earth did Sandra get ‘I will bring down Yoruba Government’?
“Okay, you want to expose someone and you are writing a script, like a movie script? You got a musician to produce a song? Is it not showing that you are up to something?
“She now sent me a script to produce for her but I looked at the things she sent and they were defamatory. So, I worked on the audio, got one of my staff to voice it and we removed the defamatory aspects. That was what made me decide to talk. How do you think Senator Natasha would say she wants to bring down a Yoruba Government? A Kogi person is a minority in Nigeria. An Egbira person is a minority. They don’t have alliances like that. Sometimes, they are more tilted to the Yoruba. So, how will she (Natasha) say she wants to bring down a Yoruba Government? She didn’t say it. I challenge Sandra to release our phone conversations where she was also explaining to me her plans. That is where you will know that the woman (Natasha) didn’t say that. Sandra can claim anything. She once told me she made Rochas governor of Imo state” she stated.
However, in a swift response, Duru said she was marching to the finishing line and that it was too late to be distracted.
She said Olisa-Ogbonnaya’s latest attempt to derail the truth is not only laughable and very petty, but embarrassingly weak.
“Do not mistake my silence for ignorance or my kindness for weakness”, she said.
Duru said the documentary script in question was “a factual exposé based on truth, forensic evidence, and courage. My South Eastern media team had a young woman from my beneficiaries list do a voiceover.
She was paid. Her work was substandard. A refund was rightfully requested. Simple. Prior to this, she, like many others, benefited from my Easter charity. That is my norm, not a favor.
“Francess (Olisa-Ogbonnaya) was briefly exposed to snippets featuring Umoren, Oby, and Patoranking, which are already available in the public domain. There was no secret. Just her twisted interpretation of what she doesn’t understand.
“Adeola, go tell your Natasha: your circus is tired. Your distractions are stale. I will not be moved. I am documented, defended, and determined”, she stated.