Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken legal action against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation. The lawsuit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday, also names Akpabio’s senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, as a defendant.
The case stems from a Facebook post by Akpabio’s aide, which questioned whether the Local Content Committee in the Senate was Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “birthright.” The post also included disparaging remarks about the senator, suggesting that she believed being a lawmaker was about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers.”
Represented by lawyer Victor Giwa, Akpoti-Uduaghan claims that these statements were defamatory, harmful, and damaging to her reputation. She seeks a declaration that the comments were intended to incite public disapproval and degrade her status among her peers and the public.
The senator is requesting the court to issue a perpetual injunction preventing the defendants from publishing further defamatory remarks about her. Additionally, she is seeking ₦100 billion in damages and ₦300 million to cover litigation costs.
This lawsuit follows a dispute between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio over a seat reassignment in the Senate, which resulted in her being referred to the Senate Disciplinary Committee.
