Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to take legal action against suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for alleged defamation.
Falana made this recommendation in a statement on Friday, in response to a petition Akpabio submitted to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
The petition concerns remarks made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a rally in Kogi State on April 1, 2025.
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In the petition dated April 3, 2025, Akpabio strongly refuted the claim that he was involved in an assassination plot and called for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s prosecution for criminal defamation.
The Senate President also sent copies of the petition to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
He further urged the police to investigate and bring charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan for criminal defamation, incitement, false accusation, and conduct likely to disrupt public peace.
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However, Falana urged Akpabio to refrain from dragging the police into what he described as “a clearly politically motivated civil matter.”
He said, “In the said petition, Senator Akpabio stated that the alleged defamatory statement is ‘entirely false, unfounded and politically motivated.’ To that extent, the Nigeria Police Force should not be asked to criminalise a civil dispute that is ‘politically motivated.
“In the case of Arthur Nwankwo v The State (1985) 5 NCLR 228 at 253, the Court of Appeal cautioned public officers to desist from using the machinery of the State to harass or intimidate their political opponents.”
“In particular, Olajide Olatawura JCA (as he then was and of blessed memory) held as follows: ‘Let us not diminish from the freedom gained from our colonial masters by resorting to laws enacted by them to suit their purpose. The decision of the founding fathers of this present Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, which must include freedom to criticise, should be praised, and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided by the Constitution must be resisted.
“‘Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism. Where a writer exceeds the bounds, there should be a resort to the law of libel where the plaintiff must of necessity put his character and reputation in issue.’
“In view of the above epochal words of the Court of Appeal, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio should be advised to institute a libel suit in the appropriate High Court if he feels defamed by the statement credited to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at a political rally.”
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