The Senator representing Kogi Central in the red chambers, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has dragged the President of Nigeria’s Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio before the high court for allegedly defaming her.
The lawmaker had voiced her concern after her seat was reassigned due to a reshuffle triggered by opposition members switching to the majority wing.
She had resisted the relocation and this led to a clash between her and the senate president.
However, in the suit filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25,2025, the President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick were listed as second to third defendants.
In the suit marked: CV/737/25 Akpoti-Uduaghan through her lawyer, Victor Giwa claimed that the words by the Senate President and published by his aide on his Facebook page with the title, “Is local content committee of the senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT”, where he stated that claimant though being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers.
Giwa noted that the statement on Akpoti-Uduaghan was defamatory, provocative, disparaging, and lowered her dignity in the eyes of her colleagues and right-thinking members of the public.
Among others, the Senator sought the following from the high court;
“A declaration that the words “it is a bottled anger by the Kogi Lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers” used and written by the 3rd Defendant at the prompting of the 1st and 2nd Defendants is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the Claimant by members of the public,” her reliefs partly read.
Akpoti-Uduaghan urged the court to restrain the defendants or associates from publishing defamatory words against her on any platform.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants whether acting by themselves, or through their agents, privies, assigns or associates from further publishing or caused to be published the said defamatory words herein stated or any other similar publications about the Claimant on the social media platform or in any other manner, which is capable of defaming the Claimant,” she stated.
She, however, urged the court to order the defendants to pay her N100bn as damages and N300m as litigation costs.
“An order for payment of the sum of N100, 000,000,000 as general damages.
An order for payment of the sum of N300, 000,000.00 only as Cost of action,” she said.
Meanwhile, no date has yet been fixed for hearing of the suit having not been assigned to any Judge.
