Last Monday, the Federal Government issued a formal summons against suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, which was received by her legal team.
The lawsuit, designated CR/297/25, was brought by the Federal Government on Friday, May 16, 2025, in response to claimed defamatory statements made during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
Citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, section 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, the government charged the senator with “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio were among the witnesses scheduled to testify during the trial.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Sandra Duru, investigative police officers Maya Iliya, and Abdulhafiz Garba are among the others.
However, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attorneys acknowledged receiving the official summons in a statement released Friday evening by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) on behalf of the legal team. They also promised to prepare any “factual and statutory defences” that the legislator may raise during the trial.
“At about 2:30pm on Friday, May 23, 2025, within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, we received the information filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, containing three counts alleging that our client, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, made imputations she had reason to believe would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the 10th Senate,” the statement read.
“We received the said information on her behalf through a letter of authority duly issued and filed in the court’s registry.
“The legal team will fully prepare and present all factual and statutory defences available to our client during the trial.”
Natasha was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following her seating arrangement altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Her suspension, according to the legislator, was unlawful, unfair, and an intentional attempt to silence her.
She also rejected the Senate’s argument that her accusation of sexual harassment had nothing to do with her suspension.
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The senator from Kogi filed many petitions and made new accusations against the Senate President in the weeks that followed.
Akpabio petitioned Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, in April over Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged killing.
He called for an immediate investigation and prosecution of the senator under relevant laws for “criminal defamation, incitement, false accusation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.”
Former Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello, had also petitioned the IGP over Natasha’s claims, alleging that he was behind the move to recall her from the Senate.
She had accused Bello of acting on Akpabio’s orders to plot her assassination outside Abuja, in a way that would make it appear like a mob or local attack.
