Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has initiated a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following a contentious dispute over the reassignment of her seat in the Senate chamber.
The altercation began on February 20, 2025, when Akpoti-Uduaghan resisted a seating change implemented due to opposition members defecting to the majority party.
Her refusal to comply led to a heated exchange with the Senate leadership, during which she was denied the opportunity to speak from her original seat and was subsequently ordered to vacate it by the Senate President.
In response to the incident, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a lawsuit at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on February 25, 2025. The suit names Senate President 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, centers on alleged defamatory remarks made by Akpabio and subsequently published by his aide on Facebook. The contentious post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?”, insinuated that Akpoti-Uduaghan perceived her legislative role as merely cosmetic, stating she believed being a lawmaker was about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan contends that these statements are defamatory, provocative, and damaging to her reputation among colleagues and the public. She is seeking a declaration that the remarks are defamatory, a perpetual injunction preventing further such statements, N100 billion in general damages, and N300 million for litigation costs.
The Senate has since referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review, following her defiance during the seating arrangement dispute. This decision was reached unanimously through a voice vote, with the committee expected to report its findings within two weeks.
In the aftermath, various groups have weighed in on the matter. The Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW) accused Senate President Akpabio of suppressing women’s voices, citing his actions against Akpoti-Uduaghan as evidence.
Conversely, South-South leaders have dismissed reports of a rift between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan, asserting that a cordial relationship exists between the two. citeturn0search2
This legal battle underscores the escalating tensions within the Senate and highlights the broader implications for gender dynamics and freedom of expression in Nigeria’s legislative processes.