In a significant legal move, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has instituted a lawsuit against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over allegations of defamation. The lawsuit, filed before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on February 25, 2025, also lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick, as co-defendants.
The controversy stems from the recent reassignment of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Senate seat following a parliamentary reshuffle, which was triggered by opposition members defecting to the ruling majority. Expressing strong objections to her reassignment, Akpoti-Uduaghan resisted the relocation, leading to a confrontation between her and the Senate President. The tensions escalated further when an allegedly defamatory statement attributed to the Senate President surfaced online, prompting her legal action.
The legal action, filed under suit number CV/737/25, centers around a social media post authored by the third defendant, Mfon Patrick, on Facebook. The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, contained statements perceived as derogatory towards Akpoti-Uduaghan.
One particularly contentious remark suggested that she viewed her legislative role as merely an opportunity to apply makeup and wear transparent outfits in the Senate chamber. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal representative, Victor Giwa, contends that this statement was not only defamatory but also intended to demean her integrity and credibility as a lawmaker, thereby subjecting her to public ridicule and damaging her reputation among her colleagues and the general public.
In his legal argument, Giwa asserted, “A DECLARATION that the words, ‘It is 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 third defendant at the prompting of the first and second defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection toward the claimant.”
As part of her lawsuit, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking an order from the court to permanently restrain the defendants and their associates from making or disseminating any further defamatory statements about her through any media platform.
She specifically requested “AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns, or associates, from further publishing or causing to be published the said defamatory words or any similar publications about the claimant on social media or in any other manner capable of defaming her.”
Additionally, the senator is demanding substantial financial compensation, requesting N100 billion in general damages and an additional N300 million to cover litigation costs.
“An order for the payment of the sum of N100,000,000,000 as general damages. An order for the payment of the sum of N300,000,000 as the cost of action,” the suit states.
This legal battle comes at a crucial time in Nigeria’s political landscape, with tensions running high in the Senate following multiple party defections and leadership restructuring. The lawsuit raises questions about the conduct of high-ranking officials and the boundaries of political discourse within legislative circles.
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While Senator Akpabio and his legal team have yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit, political analysts suggest that the outcome of this case could have broader implications on how defamation and public statements are handled within Nigeria’s legislative framework.
Observers await the court’s ruling, which could set a precedent for similar cases involving political figures and social media commentary. Meanwhile, the case continues to draw public attention as it underscores the growing intersection between politics, reputation management, and the role of social media in shaping political narratives.
