The Senator representing Kogi Central in the Senate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
According to viral video clips on social media, the dispute arose after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Senate seat was reassigned due to a reshuffle caused by opposition members defecting to the majority.
She turn down the relocation and this led to clash between Senator Natasha and the Senate President.
On February 25, 2025, she filed a suit at the Federal High Court, listing the Senate President, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Akpabio’s Senior Legislative Aide, Mfon Patrick, as the second and third defendants.
The lawsuit, marked CV/737/25, alleges that Akpabio made defamatory remarks, which were published by his aide on Facebook. The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, included a statement implying that Akpoti-Uduaghan saw lawmaking as merely about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, described the statement as defamatory, provocative, and damaging to her reputation among colleagues and the public.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking a court declaration that the statement was defamatory and an order restraining the defendants from making further derogatory remarks about her.
She also demands N100 billion in general damages and N300 million to cover litigation costs.
