Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the Senate, has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation.
The dispute arose after a Senate reshuffle led to the reassignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat, a move she resisted, resulting in a confrontation with Akpabio.
In the suit, filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25, 2025, Akpabio, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Mfon Patrick, a Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, were listed as defendants.
The lawsuit, marked CV/737/25, alleges that Akpabio made defamatory remarks about Akpoti-Uduaghan, which were published by Patrick on Facebook under the title, “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” The post reportedly stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan “thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers.”
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, described the statement as defamatory, degrading, and damaging to her reputation among colleagues and the public.
As part of her legal reliefs, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking:
- A declaration that the statements made by the defendants were defamatory and meant to incite public disapproval against her.
- A perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their associates from making further defamatory statements about her on any platform.
- N100 billion in general damages.
- N300 million in litigation costs.
No date has been set for the hearing, as the case has yet to be assigned to a judge.
