A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has issued an order compelling the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to appear in court on June 9, 2025, in response to a N100 billion defamation suit filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The court’s directive follows Akpabio’s absence during the previous hearing on May 7, prompting Natasha’s legal team to seek and obtain approval for substituted service.
Presiding over the matter, Justice Idris Kutigi granted the request, allowing court documents to be served through the Clerk of the National Assembly. The court has since confirmed that the Senate President has officially received the summons via this method, paving the way for substantive hearing on the claims brought before the court.
The suit, registered under case number FCT/HC/CV/754/2025, stems from comments allegedly made by Senator Akpabio which, according to Senator Natasha, have severely damaged her reputation and public image. Her legal team contends that the statements amount to character assassination and are part of a broader campaign to undermine her credibility and role in the Senate.
In her claims, Senator Natasha is asking the court to compel Senator Akpabio to pay N100 billion in damages, in addition to N300 million in legal costs. She also seeks an injunction preventing him and others associated with him from further repeating or disseminating the disputed statements.
In a related development, the same day saw another dramatic turn in the legal saga as Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, was also summoned over a separate but similar defamation case. That matter, registered as FCT/HC/CV/1359/25, is being presided over by Justice A.O. Otaluka. Like in the case with Akpabio, the court granted leave for substituted service, allowing documents to be delivered to the defendant outside traditional means.
Senator Natasha alleges that Nwaebonyi, during a television appearance, made derogatory and false claims about her personal life, including allegations that she had children with different men and that her husband was coerced into marriage. She maintains these statements were not only fabricated but strategically crafted to discredit her publicly and justify her suspension from Senate activities.
According to her, Nwaebonyi’s involvement in the Senate Committee on Ethics was misused to target her during the period her petitions and activities were under committee review. She further accused both Senators Akpabio and Nwaebonyi of sexual harassment and malicious behavior, while also pointing fingers at Akpabio’s aide for making defamatory remarks that compounded the damage to her reputation.
With multiple legal actions now in motion, Senator Natasha is seeking broad judicial intervention to halt the alleged smear campaign and obtain redress for what she describes as a deliberate and coordinated effort to silence and disgrace her.
The case involving Akpabio is expected to resume on June 9, while the matter against Nwaebonyi has been adjourned to June 25, 2025, for further proceedings.
