Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a staggering N100.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, alleging that his social media post maligned her reputation.
The lawmaker, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, claims that a Facebook post authored by Akpabio’s senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, and allegedly encouraged by the Senate President, contained statements that were defamatory and aimed at discrediting her.
The controversial post, titled “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT?”, allegedly ridiculed Akpoti-Uduaghan, insinuating that she lacks legislative knowledge and prioritizes appearances over governance. The post reportedly suggested that she believed being a senator was “all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Senate Chambers.”
In her lawsuit, Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that the publication was not only defamatory but had also diminished her standing among her colleagues and the general public. She is seeking a court order directing the defendants to issue a public apology and retract the statements in a widely circulated national newspaper.
Additionally, the senator is demanding N100 billion in damages for reputational harm and another N300 million to cover the cost of litigation. She is also requesting a perpetual injunction preventing Akpabio and his associates from making any further defamatory statements against her.
The legal action comes in the wake of recent tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, particularly after an incident where she protested the unauthorized change of her Senate seating position—an action that led to a heated confrontation and her removal from the chamber by security personnel.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case, but the lawsuit has already sparked widespread public interest, with political observers watching closely to see how the legal battle unfolds.
