The wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, has filed multiple lawsuits at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, alleging defamation and violation of her fundamental rights.
The legal action follows comments made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a televised interview on Arise News, which Mrs. Akpabio claims damaged her reputation and subjected her and her family to emotional and psychological distress.
Fundamental Rights Suit
In the first lawsuit (Suit No: CV/814/25), filed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, Mrs. Akpabio seeks:
A declaration that the allegations made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on the Senate floor on February 20, 2025, and later on Arise News, violated her fundamental rights.
An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senator from making further “inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful” statements that allegedly threaten her and her children’s well-being.
N250 billion in damages for the alleged psychological harm caused by the statements.
Defamation Lawsuit
In a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio argues that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim on national television —that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, made sexual advances toward her — has severely harmed her family’s reputation. She is demanding:
A formal retraction and an unconditional apology, to be published in The Guardian and This Day newspapers.
N1 billion (One billion naira only) in damages for the alleged defamatory statements.
A perpetual injunction preventing the Senator from making further defamatory remarks.
Legal Battle Ahead
The lawsuits set the stage for a high-profile legal battle between the Senate President wife and the Kogi lawmaker. While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has yet to respond officially, the case is expected to generate significant public and legal discourse in the coming weeks.
