Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation following a dispute over her Senate seat.
According to The PUNCH, the lawsuit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25, 2025, also names the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Senate President’s Senior Legislative Aide, Mfon Patrick, as co-defendants.
The conflict began after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Senate committee position was reassigned due to a reshuffle caused by opposition lawmakers switching to the majority caucus. Her resistance led to a confrontation with Akpabio, escalating into a public dispute.
Court documents reveal that Akpoti-Uduaghan alleges a Facebook post by Patrick, reportedly made at Akpabio’s prompting, contained defamatory remarks that damaged her reputation. The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, included statements implying she was more concerned with her appearance than with legislative responsibilities.
Her legal representative, Victor Giwa, argued that the remarks harmed her dignity and credibility as a senator.
“A declaration that the words, ‘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,’ are defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection toward the claimant,” Giwa stated in the court filing.
The senator is seeking a court order to prevent the defendants and their associates from making further defamatory statements against her.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns, or associates, from further publishing or causing to be published the said defamatory words or any similar publications about the claimant on social media or in any other manner capable of defaming her,” the suit reads.
Additionally, Akpoti-Uduaghan is demanding N100 billion in general damages and an extra N300 million to cover litigation costs.
