Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has instituted a legal battle against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over alleged defamatory remarks, demanding a colossal N1.3 billion in damages.
The suit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25, 2025, follows an altercation between the two lawmakers after a recent reshuffle in the Senate led to the reassignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, in her petition, accused Akpabio and his Senior Legislative Aide, Mfon Patrick, of tarnishing her image by publishing disparaging statements on social media.
The post shared on Facebook, suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan believed being a legislator was merely about her physical appearance, including pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers. The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, was allegedly authored by Patrick at the behest of the Senate President.
Through her legal counsel, Victor Giwa, Akpoti-Uduaghan decried the defamatory nature of the statement, describing it as provocative and
disparaging.
Giwa argued that the statement sought to lower his client’s standing in the eyes of the public and her colleagues, thus impeding her professional reputation.
The words are defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection toward the claimant,” Giwa stated in court filings.
In the suit, Akpoti-Uduaghan demands the court grant an injunction restraining Akpabio, Patrick, and their associates from publishing further defamatory content about her.
Also, she has sought an unprecedented N100 billion in general damages and N300 million for legal costs.
The embattled senator, who represents Kogi State, also seeks the court’s intervention to prevent any future attempts to defame her on both social media and traditional media platforms.
