Daniel Otera
The legal battle involving suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan escalated this week as two separate High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) issued rulings granting her leave to serve court processes on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Chief Whip Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi.
The rulings, contained in suit numbers FCT/HC/CV/754/2025 and FCT/HC/CV/1359/2025, represent a new chapter in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s bid to contest her controversial suspension from the Nigerian Senate and defend her reputation. Both suits centre on allegations of defamation, sexual harassment, and violation of fundamental rights.
In the first case, Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi granted leave for substituted service of court documents on Akpabio and others, including his senior legislative aide Mr Mfon Patrick, and the Clerk of the National Assembly.
The matter was adjourned to 9 June 2025 for a report on service compliance. The motion (M/6603/2025) was filed ex parte by her legal team, Victor Giwa & Associates, supported by a six-paragraph affidavit detailing prior service attempts.
In the second but related matter, Justice A.O. Otaluka granted similar leave in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1359/2025, permitting substituted service on Senator Nwaebonyi. That matter was adjourned to 25 June 2025.
The lawsuits stem from statements made by Nwaebonyi during a live interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, aired 6 March 2025, in which he allegedly described Akpoti-Uduaghan as a “gold digger,” “habitual liar,” and “blackmailer,” claiming she had “six children by different men.”
She further alleges that the senator insinuated that her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, married her under duress, remarks she describes as false, malicious, and aimed at damaging her public credibility.
Akpoti-Uduaghan contends that these public remarks were designed to influence public opinion and justify her six-month suspension from the Senate.
In a separate court filing, she accuses Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment, and his aide of defamation, seeking ₦100 billion in general damages and ₦300 million in litigation costs.
The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by women in Nigeria’s male-dominated political environment. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), women comprise nearly half of Nigeria’s population but hold only 3.6% of elective offices.
Historical data shows their highest parliamentary representation peaked at 7.2% between 2007 and 2011, before declining to 6.6% in more recent years.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) 2024 Human Rights Assessment Dashboard recorded over two million complaints, many related to discrimination and gender-based verbal abuse.
According to the NHRC, over 63% of women in public office report facing verbal harassment or defamation, with few formal redress mechanisms activated.
These statistics provide broader context to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal claims, which allege targeted defamation and reputational damage.
Meanwhile, defamation lawsuits involving political office holders have reportedly increased by 28% over the last two years largely driven by televised or social media content.
However, publicly available court data indicates that only 16% of such cases result in rulings or settlements favouring the claimant.
Although Nigerian lawmakers enjoy parliamentary immunity in the course of their official duties, the lawsuits brought by Akpoti-Uduaghan centre on alleged actions that occurred outside the floor of the Senate.
Legal precedence in other cases suggests that when such matters arise outside legislative sessions, they may still face judicial scrutiny despite constitutional protections.
The cases are set to return for hearing on June 9 and June 25, 2025, respectively.