Senate President Godswill Akpabio has launched a fresh N200 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, escalating one of the most intense political battles in Nigerias 10th Senate.
Akpoti Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, revealed the development through a Facebook post in which she shared a copy of the suit numbered FCT HC CV 3356 2025 filed before Justice U P Kekemeke of the FCT High Court.
According to the filing, Akpabio accuses her of making “false, malicious, and injurious” statements portraying him as a “sexual predator” and exposing him to “public hatred, contempt, and ridicule.” He is seeking significant monetary damages, public retractions, and broadcast apologies across national media.
The court granted an order for substituted service on November 6 after bailiffs were unable to serve Akpoti Uduaghan directly. The documents were ultimately delivered through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Akpoti Uduaghan confirmed receiving the suit and immediately declared she was prepared for a full legal battle. She argued that the case would finally give her a platform to present the allegations she claims the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges refused to entertain.
She wrote:
“I am in receipt of the newly instituted N200bn suit against me by Senator Godswill Akpabio claiming defamation on sexual harassment.
Now I am glad that Akpabio has brought this up because the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges failed to grant me an audience. 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 attacks on my person. See you in court Godswill Akpabio.”
Her response immediately reignited nationwide debate, with analysts describing the case as one of the boldest confrontations ever witnessed between a Senate President and a serving colleague.
This clash adds to a long string of disputes between both lawmakers. In March 2025, The PUNCH reported that Akpoti Uduaghan was suspended for six months after protesting the relocation of her seat during plenary. She repeatedly accused Akpabio of targeting her and at one point referred to him as a “dictator.”
Although her suspension ended in September, she faced delays in resuming her duties due to what she described as internal resistance from Senate leadership. Her office previously sealed was eventually reopened by officials of the Sergeant at Arms, after which she returned defiantly, emphasizing that she had “no apology to tender.”
With both senators now preparing for a courtroom showdown, public attention continues to swell around a case that blends politics, personal accusations, institutional power, and the question of accountability within the National Assembly.
