Why Natasha Akpoti Filed N100.3 Billion Lawsuit Against Godswill Akpabio

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken legal action against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of defamation.

The dispute began after Natasha’s Senate seat was reassigned due to a reshuffle caused by opposition members switching sides.

The Kogi senator opposed the move, leading to a heated exchange between her and Akpabio.

On February 25, 2025, she filed a lawsuit at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, naming the Senate President, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Mfon Patrick, a senior legislative aide to Akpabio, as defendants.

The lawsuit, labeled “CV/737/25,” alleges that Godswill Akpabio made defamatory remarks, which were then published on Facebook by his aide.

The lawsuit stated that the post, titled “Is the Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?” included a statement suggesting that Akpoti-Uduaghan believed being a lawmaker was only about “pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers.”

Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, described the statement as defamatory and damaging to her reputation among colleagues and the public.

Giwa argued that the words were intended to humiliate and discredit her.

He stated, “A DECLARATION that the words, ‘It is bottled anger by the Kogi lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules.

“She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers,’ used and written by the third defendant at the prompting of the first and second defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection toward the claimant.”

Natasha Akpoti is asking the court to declare the statement defamatory and to issue an order preventing Akpabio and his associates from making similar remarks in the future.

“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns, or associates, from further publishing or causing to be published the said defamatory words or any similar publications about the claimant on social media or in any other manner capable of defaming her,” she stated.

Additionally, Akpoti-Uduaghan is demanding N100 billion in general damages and N300 million to cover legal expenses.

“An order for the payment of the sum of N100,000,000,000 as general damages. An order for the payment of the sum of N300,000,000 as the cost of action,” she prayed.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu recently criticized Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over her outburst against Godswill Akpabio regarding seating arrangements in the chamber.