The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has instituted a fresh N200bn defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central.
Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed the development on Friday via her Facebook page, where she shared details of the case, marked FCT/HC/CV/3356/2025, currently before Justice U. P. Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
She described the lawsuit as an opportunity to finally present her side of the matter, which she said the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges previously declined to hear.
In the suit, Akpabio accused the senator of making false, malicious and damaging allegations, which he said portrayed him as a sexual predator and subjected him to public hatred, ridicule and contempt.
The Senate President, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, is seeking N200bn in damages, alongside public retractions and nationwide apologies.
On November 6, the court granted an order for substituted service after efforts to personally serve Akpoti-Uduaghan proved unsuccessful. The court documents were subsequently delivered through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Confirming receipt of the suit, Akpoti-Uduaghan declared her readiness for a full legal battle. She noted that the case now opens a formal channel for her to address allegations she said were ignored by the Senate.
She explained that she was earlier unable to approach the court because Senate rules required her to first appear before the Ethics Committee. However, she said the committee declined to take up her petition on the grounds that a related matter, instituted by Akpabio’s wife, was already before a court.
According to her, the committee that declined to hear her case was the same body that later recommended her controversial suspension from the Senate.
Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that she intends to use the court process to prove her claims of sexual harassment and alleged retaliatory actions that followed her refusal to accede to Akpabio’s advances.
In March 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months after protesting the relocation of her seat during plenary. She later accused Akpabio of persistently targeting her and, at one point, publicly referred to him as a “dictator.”
Although her suspension ended in September, she was unable to immediately resume legislative duties due to lingering legal and administrative hurdles. Her office, which had remained sealed, was eventually reopened by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Upon her return, she insisted she had no apology to tender, arguing that efforts were being made within the Senate to suppress her voice.
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