Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over remarks made about her. The lawsuit, which was submitted to the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday, names Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, as the second and third defendants, respectively.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In her suit, Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her lawyer Victor Giwa, referred to a statement made by Akpabio’s aide, posted on Facebook with the title, “Is local content committee of the senate Natasha’s birthright?” The statement criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan, suggesting that she believed being a lawmaker was merely about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers.” Giwa argued that these words were defamatory, provocative, and disparaging, and they tarnished her reputation among her colleagues and the public.
Akpoti-Uduaghan seeks a declaration from the court that the words used in the post were defamatory and aimed at causing harm to her public image. Her legal team further requested a permanent injunction to prevent the defendants or their associates from publishing defamatory content about her on any platform, including social media.
In addition, the senator is demanding ₦100 billion in damages for the harm caused by the statements and ₦300 million in litigation costs.
The lawsuit follows a recent controversy in the Senate, where Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat was reassigned due to a reshuffle. The senator opposed the move, leading to a public dispute with the Senate president. As a result of this conflict, Akpoti-Uduaghan has also been referred to the Senate Disciplinary Committee.
