Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation and seeking a staggering N100.3 billion in damages.
In a legal action lodged before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan named Akpabio, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Mfon Patrick, the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, as defendants. The case, marked CV/737/25, revolves around a series of defamatory remarks allegedly made by Akpabio and published on social media by Patrick.
The controversy stems from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s vocal resistance to a Senate reshuffle that reassigned her seat after a wave of defections shifted the balance of power in the chamber. This disagreement reportedly led to a confrontation with Akpabio.
In her lawsuit, Akpoti-Uduaghan, represented by her lawyer Victor Giwa, claims that a Facebook post authored by Patrick, under Akpabio’s influence, contained damaging comments. The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” ridiculed her abilities and suggested that she viewed her role as a lawmaker as a mere exercise in superficial appearances. The statement in question allegedly described Akpoti-Uduaghan as someone who thought being a legislator was simply about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”
Giwa argues that these words were defamatory and intentionally designed to tarnish Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reputation, both within the Senate and the public eye. He is seeking a court declaration that the statements were meant to provoke public scorn and humiliation.
Additionally, Akpoti-Uduaghan is asking the court to issue a permanent injunction, preventing the defendants and their associates from publishing or endorsing any further defamatory statements about her, whether on social media or through other channels.
The senator is also demanding compensation, requesting N100 billion in general damages and N300 million to cover her legal expenses.
This high-profile legal battle underscores the growing tensions within Nigeria’s Senate and the serious repercussions of public statements and social media activity in the political arena.
