Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that derogatory remarks were made against her following a dispute over her reassigned Senate seat.
The legal action, filed on February 25, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, names the President of the Senate, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Senate President’s Senior Legislative Aide, Mfon Patrick, as defendants in the case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan's lawyer, Victor Giwa, argued that a Facebook post made by Patrick at the alleged direction of Akpabio was defamatory.
The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” contained statements suggesting that the senator believed lawmaking was about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”
Giwa described the statement as provocative and damaging to his client’s reputation, asserting that it lowered her esteem in the eyes of her colleagues and the public.
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the statement was defamatory and demands a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from making further damaging remarks against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The senator is also demanding N100 billion in general damages and N300 million to cover litigation costs. The case is expected to attract significant attention as it unfolds, given its political implications and the high-profile figures involved.
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