By Uche Onyeali
More controversy has continued to trail the fisticuff between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as a journalist, Frances Olisa Ogbonnaya has come up with allegations against the United Kingdom-based businesswoman, Sandra Duru (aka Prof Mgbeke).
Duru had recently come up with an allegation that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan tried to induce her with N200 million to falsely accuse the Senate president of organ harvesting.
Although Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has since denied the allegation, Ogbonnaya, in a now-viral video came forward with a twist into the matter, alleging that she was hired to produce a voiceover that would damage Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reputation.
Ogbonnaya claimed that Ms Duru provided her with audio recordings and a script that contained defamatory content, an offer which she said she refused due to the credibility of her profession as a journalist, as well as her plans to run for public office.
“She wanted me to disrupt and destroy Akpoti-Uduaghan at the television station she wanted me to go to on her behalf. I refused because I am a journalist and have plans to run for office like I did before; so I cannot do it,” she said.
Ogbonnaya alleged that Duru wanted to use the voiceover to spread false information about Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, including claims that she wanted to bring down the Yoruba government, which she queried.
“How can a Kogi; Igbira person who is a minority with no alliances and even tilted to the Yorubas now say that? A Kogi person is a minority in Nigeria; so what will she gain by fighting a Yoruba government?” Ogbonnaya questioned.
She also disputed Duru’s claims about Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statements on sexual harassment.
“Duru lied about it (sexual harassment claim). In the audio that she sent to me, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan never mentioned anything about forging sexual harassment,” Ogbonnaya clarified.
According to her, the audio recordings actually suggested experiences of sexual harassment.
“She mentioned in the audio that sometimes when they go out, the big man will say ‘you look good today’,” she added.
Ogbonnaya questioned the authenticity of any potential audio release by Duru.
“If she releases anything like that, she cloned it. In the original audio that she sent to me, there was nothing like that (denial of sexual harassment claim). The woman (Akpoti-Uduaghan) never said there was no sexual abuse; she was even highlighting experiences that suggest sexual harassment,” Ogbonnaya alleged.
Regarding Dr Oby Ezekwesili, the female journalist denied that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she bought the former minister.
Ogbonnaya asserted that the audio recordings showed Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan thanking God for Dr Ezekwesili’s support and discussing her efforts to address issues affecting women.
She also claimed that Duru has been involved in blackmailing and manipulating others, including Governor Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha.
“Duru even told me that she made Okorocha a governor. She was blackmailing the man. She blackmailed Uzodimma through the commissioner for international affairs,” Ogbonnaya alleged.
When asked if Duru paid her, she replied: “Yes! Political audio is N500,000; she priced N300,000. I removed the places that could implicate us. She got angry that I removed her lies. She rejected the audio and refused to use my voice, so she went to someone else.”
Ogbonnaya, however, urged the police to investigate the matter, saying “Let the police do their job.”
She also warned Senator Akpabio to be wary of Duru’s shady character.
“I am telling Akpabio to be wary of her. I cannot ascertain if she is working with Akpoti-Uduaghan or Akpabio. She is the one I know.
“The evidence I have sent to you now are a tip of the iceberg. If she wants us to release conversations, I am ready, especially the big names she mentioned there. Let her remember that,” she concluded.
