The Federal Government has filed a criminal lawsuit against suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over allegedly defamatory statements made during a live television interview.
The suit, marked CR/297/25, was filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on May 16, 2025, naming Akpoti-Uduaghan as the sole defendant. The government accused her of making statements “knowing or having reason to believe” that such remarks would damage the reputation of certain individuals, in violation of Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. The alleged offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same code.
At the center of the controversy is an appearance the senator made on Channels Television’s 'Politics Today' on April 3, 2025, during which she reportedly made explosive claims involving high-profile figures in the Nigerian political landscape.
The list of witnesses the prosecution intends to call is high-powered and politically sensitive. It includes Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who has been at odds with Akpoti-Uduaghan, and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, whom the senator had accused of acting on Akpabio’s instructions to orchestrate her assassination through a staged local mob attack outside Abuja.
Other witnesses listed are Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, public figure Sandra Duru, and two police investigators, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba, who reportedly handled various petitions and allegations surrounding the case.
The legal move comes in the wake of a deepening feud between Akpoti-Uduaghan and key figures in the Senate. On March 6, 2025, she was controversially suspended from the Senate over what was described as “gross misconduct” following a seating arrangement dispute with Senate President Akpabio.
However, she claimed her suspension was politically motivated and a veiled punishment for her outspoken stance on issues, particularly her sexual harassment allegations which she insists were never taken seriously by the Senate leadership.
In the weeks following her suspension, the senator filed multiple petitions against Akpabio, including one accusing him of plotting her assassination. In response, Akpabio petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, urging the immediate investigation and prosecution of Akpoti-Uduaghan for criminal defamation, false accusations, incitement, and conduct likely to breach public peace.
Similarly, Yahaya Bello also lodged a formal complaint to the IGP, disputing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims that he masterminded her recall process and acted as a political enforcer on behalf of Akpabio.
The case is expected to attract national attention as it unfolds in court, given the political stature of the parties involved and the implications for freedom of speech, legislative independence, and the boundaries of public accountability.
Legal analysts say the trial could either reinforce government efforts to combat misinformation or raise concerns about the use of defamation laws to silence dissenting voices in the political arena.