By Francesca Hangeior
In a blistering rebuttal to Oby Ezekwesili’s recent public defense of Senator Natasha Akpoti, Dr. Sandra C. Duru, a prominent advocate for due process and female integrity, has accused the former minister of weaponizing emotion and gender narratives to obstruct justice and undermine an ongoing legislative investigation.
Dr. Duru did not mince words, calling Ezekwesili’s statement “intellectually dishonest” and “a gross insult to the intelligence of Nigerians.” She criticized what she described as a strategic reframing of Akpoti’s questionable conduct as a “cry for justice,” asserting that such emotional appeals are being used to cloud legal scrutiny and deflect from the glaring absence of admissible evidence. 
“Justice,” Duru argued, “must be rooted in veritas—truth. What you are defending is not justice. It’s the weaponization of gender narratives and public sympathy to obstruct lawful inquiries.”
Her response condemned Ezekwesili’s public memo as an attempt to sway public sentiment through emotional blackmail and social media theatrics, while interfering with an active legislative process. “This is a classic case of obstruction of justice in spirit, and if not, in letter,” Duru noted pointedly.
Dr. Duru further accused Ezekwesili of betraying her legacy as a former public servant by endorsing what she described as a “discredited narrative bereft of verifiable proof.” She warned that public figures must not allow misplaced loyalty or political alignment to compromise the sanctity of judicial proceedings.
Closing with a firm appeal to the Nigerians and the investigative committee, Dr. Duru urged them to resist “orchestrated interference” that undermines truth and accountability. “Justice is not a gendered performance,” she emphasized. “It is a matter of fact, law, and conscience.”
