“#NatashaLied: Senator Akpoti’s Defenders Accidentally Confirm Ties With Sandra Duru Despite Public Denial”
ABUJA, NIGERIA — A spiraling scandal is engulfing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as her own media allies appear to have unintentionally exposed the truth she publicly denied — that she indeed held private conversations with US-based activist Dr. Sandra Duru.
The controversy erupted after Onyekachi Francis, a vocal online supporter of the senator, admitted during a live session with journalist Adeola Fayehun that she had received voice recordings and scripts from Natasha’s camp — materials that detail private conversations between the senator and Dr. Duru.
This comes in direct contradiction to Senator Natasha’s earlier categorical denial of ever knowing or speaking with Dr. Duru. In a Facebook post last week, the senator dismissed the activist as an “attention-seeker” who fabricated claims, including allegations of a falsified sexual harassment narrative involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
However, Onyekachi’s remarks have now unraveled that version of events.
“She [Natasha] said she was happy Sandra was supporting her,” the influencer disclosed during the live broadcast. “She never mentioned bringing down any Yoruba government or attacking Oby Ezekwesili in the audios I was sent.”
The comments, meant to deflect accusations against the senator, have instead triggered a political firestorm — confirming to critics that Natasha did indeed communicate with Sandra, despite her public denials.
Even more damaging, the influencer revealed she had been asked to voice over a script from Natasha’s team to discredit Sandra but chose to edit out defamatory sections and avoided using her own voice to avoid legal consequences.
This public relations misstep has set social media ablaze. Within hours, hashtags like #NatashaLied and #Lietasha began trending on X (formerly Twitter), with users accusing the senator of lying to the Nigerian public and attempting to manipulate the narrative through media proxies.
“If Natasha said she never knew Sandra, how come her defenders are confirming that her team sent them personal audios and political scripts?” asked one outraged analyst. “This goes beyond PR damage — this is a serious credibility crisis.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Sandra Duru has maintained her stance, claiming to possess original recordings, call logs, and text messages that support her story. According to her, the senator shared sensitive political plans and personal trauma, including alleged harassment by high-ranking officials.
With the situation spiraling, pressure is mounting on the National Assembly and relevant agencies to launch an independent forensic investigation into the recordings and claims of perjury or misrepresentation.
As of press time, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and her media team have refused to respond to multiple inquiries seeking clarification.