Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation and seeking N1.3 billion in damages.
The legal action follows a dispute over the reassignment of her Senate seat.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had raised concerns after her seat was reassigned during a reshuffle triggered by opposition lawmakers defecting to the ruling party. Her opposition reportedly led to a confrontation with Akpabio.
The suit, filed on February 25, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, names Akpabio, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Mfon Patrick, a senior legislative aide to the Senate President, as defendants.
The case, marked CV/737/25, was filed through her lawyer, Victor Giwa.
The Kogi lawmaker alleges that a Facebook post by Patrick, allegedly made at Akpabio’s prompting, tarnished her reputation.
The post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” included a remark suggesting the senator believed her role was merely about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”
Giwa argued that the statements were “defamatory, provocative, and damaging” to his client’s public image and professional standing.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is asking the court to declare the statements defamatory and to issue an injunction preventing the defendants and their associates from making similar remarks in the future.
She is also seeking N1 billion in general damages and N300 million to cover litigation costs.
