Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Sues Senate President Godswill Akpabio for Defamation, Seeks ₦100 Billion in Damages

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over alleged derogatory remarks made about her.

The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, lists Akpabio and his Senior Legislative Aide, Mfon Patrick, as the second and third defendants, respectively.

Through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, Akpoti-Uduaghan referenced a social media post by Mfon Patrick titled, “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” The post, allegedly made at Akpabio’s prompting, contained statements suggesting that Akpoti-Uduaghan believed being a lawmaker was only about applying makeup and wearing transparent outfits to the Senate chambers.

Giwa described these remarks as defamatory, provocative, and damaging, arguing that they lowered the senator’s reputation and dignity among her colleagues and the public.

As part of her legal reliefs, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking:

A declaration that the words used in the post are defamatory and intended to incite public disapproval against her.
A perpetual injunction restraining Akpabio, his aide, and their associates from making further defamatory statements about her on any platform.
An order for ₦100 billion in general damages and ₦300 million in litigation costs.

This lawsuit comes after a recent Senate reshuffle, in which Akpoti-Uduaghan’s assigned seat was changed. She strongly opposed the move, leading to a clash with Senate President Akpabio. Following the dispute, she was referred to the Senate Disciplinary Committee for further review.