Abuja, FCT – Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed separate lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, over alleged defamation and violation of fundamental human rights.
Legit.ng gathers that the legal action follows claims by Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, that she faced challenges in the Senate after rejecting alleged sexual advances from the Senate President.
Unoma Akpabio accuses Natasha of making false statements
In the first suit on fundamental rights violation (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs Akpabio accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making false and scandalous statements that inflicted emotional trauma on her and her children, causing them to fear for their safety.
She urged the court to declare the statements a violation of her right to dignity under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Akpabio is also seeking ₦250 billion in damages and a perpetual injunction preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further claims against her.
Unoma Akpabio demands public apology from Natasha
In a separate defamation case (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs Akpabio challenged Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegation that the Senate President made sexual advances towards her.
She described the claims as false, malicious, and damaging, stating that they had brought her family into public disrepute.
As part of her demands, she asked the court to compel Akpoti-Uduaghan to issue a public apology in two national newspapers and pay ₦1 billion in damages.
“The allegations have caused untold pain and emotional trauma to me and my family,” Mrs Akpabio said in the suit.
The court has yet to set a date for the hearings, according to reports by Punch and The Cable.
Natasha vs Akpabio: The Senate dispute
The disagreement between Senate President Akabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan began when the Kogi lawmaker discovered that her Senate seating position had been changed without her knowledge, causing a public outburst.
The Senate later referred her case to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imaseun of Edo South, for investigation, giving the committee two weeks to submit its findings.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a ₦100 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, alleged that Patrick had posted defamatory content on Facebook under the title, ‘Is Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?’
Giwa described the statement as provocative and damaging, saying it had diminished his client’s reputation among her colleagues and the public.
Alleged sexual harassment: Natasha grants television
On Friday, February 28, the controversy escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show and made allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio.
She claimed that some colleagues had warned her to accept the seat change as part of an orchestrated plot against her. However, Unoma Akpabio dismissed the allegations, calling them false and baseless.
“My husband is a disciplined man who respects women,” she said.
