Ezekwesili flay’s FG over Natasha’s arraignment
By Agency Report
Former minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, has slammed the arraignment of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as a politically motivated act carried out by the federal government on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his allies.
Ezekwesili made the statement in a post on her X handle on Thursday, shortly after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court over criminal defamation charges.
The charges, brought by the Nigerian government, are linked to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio.
Describing the court proceedings as a “gross abuse of power,” Ezekwesili accused the government of weaponising legal processes to silence dissent and suppress accountability.
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She argued that the entire exercise was a distraction designed to shield powerful figures from scrutiny.
She noted that the Senator was being punished not for wrongdoing, but for demanding a fair hearing and accountability.
Ezekwesili expressed concern over what she sees as a growing pattern of repression and authoritarianism in the Tinubu administration.
She further criticised the federal government’s legal team for requesting that the court deny bail and remand Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in prison until her trial begins in September 2025. The presiding judge, however, rejected the request and granted bail.
In her statement, Ezekwesili said: “Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned in the FCT High Court by lawyers of the Federal Government of Nigeria to prosecute her for ‘criminal defamation’ on behalf of Senator Akpabio and his allies.”
