Two separate High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have issued summonses to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, in response to allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and breach of fundamental rights brought by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In suit no: FCT/HC/CV/754/2025, Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted leave for Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve the Writ of Summons, Statement of Claim, and all subsequent court processes, including Hearing Notices, directly to Akpabio in his capacity as Senate President.
Also to be served are Mr. Mfon Patrick, Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, and the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Justice Kutigi set June 9, 2025, for the Report of Service of the summons, following an ex-parte application and an affidavit supported by Hamzat Mogaji, Litigation Manager of Victor Giwa & Associates.
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Separately, in Suit NO: FCT/HC/CV/1359/25, Justice A.O. Otaluka of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted leave for Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve Senator Nwaebonyi by substituted means.
This decision was made after considering an ex parte motion dated May 10, 2025, supported by an affidavit and a written address from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Michael J. Numa, SAN. The case has been adjourned to June 25, 2025.
It is recalled that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, previously filed a N5 billion defamation lawsuit against Nwaebonyi.
This suit stems from Nwaebonyi’s alleged claims that she bore six children for different men.
In the suit, filed by her legal team, Akpoti-Uduaghan described Nwaebonyi’s allegations as false and a calculated attempt to damage her reputation.
She informed the court that Nwaebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Central Senatorial District, severely damaged her reputation, causing her significant emotional distress, public embarrassment, and harm to her credibility.
Akpoti-Uduaghan specifically stated that Nwaebonyi made false and malicious statements about her during a televised interview on Channels TV’s “Sunrise Daily” program on March 6, 2025.
During this interview, he allegedly described her as a “gold digger,” a “habitual liar,” and a “habitual blackmailer” without any lawful justification.
She further claimed that Nwaebonyi also alleged her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, married her under duress.
Akpoti-Uduaghan asserts that these statements were intended to portray her as someone who extorts money through dishonest means and were made with full knowledge of their falsity, aiming to discredit her and justify her illegal suspension by the Senate.
She also noted that Nwaebonyi, a member of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, made these remarks to influence public opinion against her ongoing petition before the Senate.
As a result, Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently serving a six-month suspension, seeks, among other requests, a court order for a perpetual injunction, restraining Nwaebonyi, his associates, and agents from further publishing defamatory statements about her.
Relatedly, Akpoti-Uduaghan has also accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, claiming that his aide defamed her character.
Among other reliefs, she is asking the court to compel the aide to pay N100 billion in general damages and N300 million in litigation costs.8
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