The wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed two lawsuits totaling ₦251 billion against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, citing defamation and violation of her fundamental human rights.
The legal action follows allegations by Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, that she faced political challenges in the Senate after rejecting alleged sexual advances from the Senate President.
In the first case, a fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs. Akpabio accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making false and damaging claims that caused emotional distress to her and her children. She is seeking ₦250 billion in damages and a court declaration that the statements violated her right to dignity under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She is also requesting a perpetual injunction to prevent further alleged defamatory statements.
The second lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25) focuses on defamation. Mrs. Akpabio rejected Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims against her husband, calling them false, malicious, and h+rmful to her family’s reputation. She is demanding ₦1 billion in damages and a public apology to be published in The Guardian and ThisDay newspapers. “The allegations have caused untold p+in and emotional trauma to me and my family,” Mrs. Akpabio stated in her filing. The court has yet to set a date for the hearings.
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The dispute between both lawmakers began after Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the sudden relocation of her Senate seat, which she claimed was done without her consent. Her protest briefly disrupted a plenary session, leading the Senate to refer the matter to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun of Edo South. The committee was given two weeks to investigate and submit its findings.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a ₦100 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick. Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, argued that a Facebook post by Patrick—titled Is Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?—was defamatory, as it accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of prioritizing appearances over legislative duties.
The controversy escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show and accused Akpabio of sexual hara§§ment, alleging that some of her colleagues had warned her that the seat reassignment was part of a larger scheme against her.
However, Unoma Akpabio has dismissed the allegations as baseless. “My husband is a disciplined man who respects women. He is jovial and often misinterpreted,” she stated.
