The Federal Government has initiated a lawsuit against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, alleging defamatory remarks she made during a live television broadcast.
The suit, marked CR/297/25, was filed on May 16, 2025, before a Federal Capital Territory High Court, with Akpoti-Uduaghan named as the sole defendant.
The government accuses the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
This offense is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
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Notably, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello are listed as witnesses who will testify during the trial, acting as nominal complainants.
Count one of the charge specifically accuses Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory allegations during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
Other witnesses listed to testify include Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Sandra Duru, Maya Iliya (investigating police officers), and Abdulhafiz Garba (investigating police officers).
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following a public altercation regarding her seating arrangement with Akpabio.
The lawmaker maintained that her suspension was illegal, unjust, and an attempt to silence her, rejecting the Senate’s assertion that it was not related to her sexual harassment claims.
In the weeks that followed her suspension, the Kogi senator made several allegations and submitted petitions against the Senate President.
In April, Akpabio himself petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusation of an assassination plot against him.
Akpabio demanded an immediate investigation and prosecution of Akpoti-Uduaghan for “criminal defamation, incitement, false accusation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.”
Former Governor Yahaya Bello also petitioned the IGP, responding to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims that he initiated and funded her recall process.
She had accused Bello of acting on Akpabio’s instruction to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja, designed to appear as a mob or local attack.
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