Senate President Godswill Akpabio has shed light on his decision to withdraw a defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and discontinue other pending legal actions, describing the move as a conscious choice guided by faith, moral authority, and the responsibilities of legislative leadership.
Akpabio’s explanation was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh.
According to the statement, the decision marked a significant departure from the prevailing political culture where court actions are often deployed as tools for personal defence and reputation management.
“In a political environment where litigation has become an extension of power and public image protection, this was no minor gesture,” the statement noted. “Senator Akpabio had never shied away from defending his name through legal means.”
The statement acknowledged that the Senate President had previously relied on the courts both as a means of protection and a platform for asserting his integrity. However, it stressed that the voluntary withdrawal of the suit was not borne out of weakness or pressure, but a deliberate interruption of what it described as “a habit of power.”
“The law, in his hands, had been both shield and sword,” the statement said. “To willingly lay it down was a choice rooted not in incapacity, but in conviction.”
Eyiboh explained that Akpabio’s decision was influenced by his personal faith and his belief that leadership, especially at the highest level of the legislature, demands restraint, maturity, and moral clarity.
“The question is not whether Akpabio could afford to forgive,” the statement added. “The real question is why he chose to do so, and the answer lies in his understanding of leadership as service, not self-vindication.”
The Senate President was said to have concluded that prolonged legal battles, particularly among elected representatives, risk distracting from the core responsibilities of governance and lawmaking at a time when Nigerians expect focus, stability, and unity from their leaders.
The statement further suggested that Akpabio’s action was intended to lower political tension and set an example for resolving disputes beyond the courtroom, especially within the political class.
By withdrawing the case, Akpabio reaffirmed his commitment to institutional harmony within the National Assembly and the pursuit of dialogue over division, the statement concluded.