Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has reacted to Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit, asserting that she is ready for the legal battle and that the suit provides a long-awaited platform to present her allegations of sexual harassment.
The senator confirmed that she received formal notice of the lawsuit on December 5, 2025. The suit, filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, is marked Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/3356/2025 and is before Hon. Justice U. P. Kekemeke. Proceedings have been adjourned to January 21, 2026.
Senator Natasha Speaks Out
In a statement posted on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said the lawsuit gives her the opportunity that the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges allegedly denied her. She explained that Senate rules previously barred her from approaching the courts directly:
“Albeit, I couldn’t proceed to court because by Senate rules, I must still present my case before the Ethics Committee—the same committee that recommended my illegal suspension. Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed and how my refusal to give in to his demands unleashed a series of unprovoked and unprecedented attacks on my person. See you in court, Godswill Akpabio.”
The senator added that the Ethics Committee had refused her audience, citing a prior defamatory case brought against her by Akpabio’s wife, leaving her with no avenue to address her complaint until now.
Court Documents and Service
Court records show that Akpabio filed the lawsuit through an ex parte application seeking leave to serve court papers on Akpoti-Uduaghan via substituted means. The request, granted by Justice Kekemeke, allowed service through the Clerk of the National Assembly, at the Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
The motion, marked M/12725/2025, allows the delivery of all originating and subsequent court processes, including hearing notices, to any staff in the Clerk’s office. The suit focuses on Akpabio’s claim that Akpoti’s allegations caused significant damage to his reputation.
The Legal Battle Ahead
With the next hearing set for January 21, 2026, both parties are preparing for what is expected to be a highly publicized and closely watched courtroom showdown in Nigeria’s political landscape.
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