Defamation: Senator Natasha Drags Akapabio, Others To Court

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Senator representing Kogi Central in the Senate, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has taken the President of Nigeria’s Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio before the high court for alleged defamation.

Sen. Natasha had voiced her concern following the reassignment of her seat because of a reshuffle caused by opposition members moving to the majority wing.

She had kicked against the relocation and this caused a clash between her and the senate president.

However, in the suit filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25,2025, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, Mfon Patrick, were listed as second to third defendants.

In the suit marked: CV/737/25 Ntasha through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, alleged 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 Senator Akpabio stated that the claimant though being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing see through outfits to the Chambers.

According to Giwa, the statement on Senator Natasha was defamatory, provocative, disparaging, and reduced her dignity in the eyes of her colleagues and other Nigerians.

Among others, the Senator prayed for 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.

She also enjoined the court to restrain the defendants or associates from publishing defamatory words against her person 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.

Natasha also urged the court to order the defendants to pay her N100bn as damages and also 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.

As of the time of filing this report, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit as ith has not been assigned to any Judge.