Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi-North Senatorial District, has filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his Senior Legislative Aide, Mfon Patrick, following the publication of a Facebook post that she claims damaged her reputation.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, accuses the defendants of publishing defamatory statements about her on social media. The suit alleges that these statements caused significant harm to her dignity and public image. In the legal action, the senator seeks a public apology, a permanent injunction against further defamatory statements, and N100 billion in general damages. She is also requesting N300 million to cover the costs of the legal proceedings.
The controversy stems from a Facebook post allegedly made by Mfon Patrick, titled “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” The post, which contained disparaging remarks about the senator, was reportedly made at the behest of Senate President Akpabio. The post mocked Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legislative knowledge and appearance, with a comment stating: “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.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has since claimed that the publication was a deliberate attempt to tarnish her reputation, causing public ridicule, damaging her relationships with colleagues, and leading to the loss of business opportunities. The senator, a former human rights activist and legal practitioner, was elected to the Senate in 2023 and has been involved in several controversies with Senate President Akpabio.
In the suit, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking several declarations, including that the Facebook post is defamatory and has diminished her standing in the public eye. She is also demanding that the post be removed and that the defendants publish a formal apology in a widely circulated national newspaper.
Additionally, the senator has asked for a perpetual injunction to prevent further defamatory statements from being made by Akpabio, Patrick, or their agents in the future.
The dispute between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio is not new. Tensions have been rising between the two since Akpoti-Uduaghan’s election to the Senate. She has repeatedly accused Akpabio of undermining her position, citing actions like the unexpected reassignment of her Senate seat and her removal from key committees. These actions, she claims, are part of a broader effort to stifle her contributions in the Senate.
In a related incident, on February 20, 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered that her seat in the Senate had been reassigned without prior notice. She interpreted this as an attempt to sideline her and refused to accept the new seat. A disagreement followed, with Senate President Akpabio directing security personnel to enforce the seating arrangement, which further escalated the tensions between the two.
These disputes come after a previous altercation in July 2024, when Akpabio reprimanded Akpoti-Uduaghan for speaking out of turn during a Senate session, calling it “not a nightclub.” The remark was widely criticized as sexist and demeaning, leading Akpabio to later issue a public apology.
The ongoing rift between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan has created a deep divide within the Nigerian Senate, drawing attention to the complex dynamics of power and gender within the legislative body. The outcome of the defamation lawsuit could have significant implications for both senators’ reputations and political futures.
In a significant diplomatic endorsement, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, on Thursday…
