Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a defamation lawsuit against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over alleged defamatory statements published by his aide on Facebook.
According to The PUNCH, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal action follows a reshuffle in the Senate, which saw her seat reassigned after some opposition members switched to the majority wing.
Senator Natasha resisted the move, leading to a confrontation with Akpabio, the Senate President.
In the suit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on 25 February 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan names Senator Akpabio, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick, as the second and third defendants. The suit, marked CV/737/25, claims that a Facebook post, written by Patrick at Akpabio’s prompting, contained defamatory statements against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
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The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, allegedly suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan viewed her role as a lawmaker as trivial, focusing only on “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Victor Giwa, argues that the statement was not only defamatory but also disparaging, intending to lower Akpoti-Uduaghan’s dignity in the eyes of her colleagues and the public.
In her legal action, Akpoti-Uduaghan has asked the court to declare the statements defamatory and to issue a perpetual injunction, preventing Akpabio, his aide, and their associates from making similar remarks in the future.
Senator Natasha is also seeking N100 billion in general damages and N300 million as litigation costs.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s move has brought attention to the ongoing tensions within the Senate, as the reshuffling and public remarks continue to fuel political disputes.
The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for political discourse and the limits of defamation in Nigerian politics.
Natasha: ‘Court declared-senators problem of the senate – Akpabio
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has suggested that senators who reclaim their electoral mandate via courts constitute a challenge to the senate.
The Senate President also ordered the management of the National Assembly to organize periodic orientation for senators who joined their colleagues midway.
Akpabio said: “The management of the National Assembly is hereby ordered to organize periodic orientation, particularly for senators who are mid streamers, who came mid stream and did not start when they are colleagues started.
“I remember that this particular senator, on the day she was sworn in, raised her hand to speak. I was scared, but I had to recognize her, because I was saying we just gave her the rule book.”