A fresh allegation has emerged in the long-running dispute involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, with United States-based activist Sandra Duru, popularly known as Prof Mgbeke, releasing an audio recording alleging that Akpabio engaged her to campaign against the Kogi Central senator.
Duru released the nine-minute recording on social media on Friday, and it circulated widely the following day.
The latest account differs from an earlier claim made by Duru in 2025, when she alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan offered her N200m to make accusations against Akpabio. Akpoti-Uduaghan denied the allegation at the time.
Duru has now presented the new recording as part of further disclosures about her relationship with Akpabio and the disagreement involving the two lawmakers.
Some portions of the audio feature a male voice whom Duru identified as Akpabio. The voice allegedly discusses political developments involving former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Senator Ned Nwoko.
In one excerpt, the voice attributed to Akpabio allegedly suggested that Okowa’s decision to join the All Progressives Congress was influenced by concerns over corruption cases.
However, the authenticity of the recording, the identities of the voices and the circumstances surrounding the conversation have not been independently verified.
Akpabio’s media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, did not respond to calls and messages seeking the Senate President’s reaction to the new allegation.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s media aide, Mike Idoko, also declined to comment, saying the senator’s camp was not interested in the matter.
The latest development comes more than a year after Duru became involved in the dispute between the two lawmakers.
Following Duru’s earlier allegations in May 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over claims involving the activist and Akpabio. Her lawyers alleged that there was a coordinated campaign against the senator.
The dispute subsequently moved to court.
In January 2026, a Federal Capital Territory High Court restrained Duru from further publishing or distributing materials described in the case as defamatory, scandalous, inciting or injurious to Akpoti-Uduaghan, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The court also directed Meta Platforms, the operator of Facebook, to remove or restrict access to specified publications attributed to Duru.
Duru’s latest recording has reopened the allegations surrounding the relationship between her, Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan.
As of the time of filing, neither Akpabio nor his office had publicly confirmed or denied the authenticity or contents of the recording, while Akpoti-Uduaghan’s camp had also declined to comment. The claims therefore remain unverified.
