Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan Sues Senate President Akpabio for Alleged Defamation

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a lawsuit against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation following a public dispute over her Senate seat.

Akpoti-Uduaghan objected to the relocation of her seat after a reshuffle, which occurred when several opposition members moved to the majority camp. The move led to a confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio.

The senator has since taken legal action, filing a suit before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday, February 25. The case, registered as CV/737/25, names Senator Akpabio, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Mfon Patrick, a Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, as defendants.

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In her claim, Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her lawyer Victor Giwa, alleges that defamatory remarks were made by the Senate President by Patrick on Facebook. The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, included a statement suggesting that Akpoti-Uduaghan viewed her role as a lawmaker in personal appearance.

The statement read, “It is bottled anger by the Kogi lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”

Giwa argues that the remarks were not only defamatory but also intended to demean Akpoti-Uduaghan, causing damage to her reputation among her colleagues and the public.

In addition to seeking a formal declaration that the words were defamatory, Akpoti-Uduaghan has requested a permanent injunction to prevent further publication of similar statements. She also seeks N100 billion in general damages and N300 million for legal costs.