The legal team representing suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has confirmed receipt of a formal summons in the defamation case filed by the Federal Government at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
The suit, marked CR/297/25, was filed on May 16, 2025, over alleged defamatory statements made by the senator during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3.
The government accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of knowingly making harmful imputations against another individual, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code.
Prominent figures listed as witnesses in the case include Senate President Godswill Akpabio, former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Sandra Duru, Maya Iliya, and Abdulhafiz Garba, both of whom are investigating police officers.
In a statement issued on May 23 by senior advocate Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team confirmed receiving the court documents and pledged to mount a robust defence.
“The legal team will fully prepare and present all factual and statutory defences available to our client during the trial,” the statement read.
The senator had earlier been suspended from the Senate on March 6 over what was termed “gross misconduct” after a confrontation regarding seating arrangements with Senate President Akpabio.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, described the suspension as unlawful and politically motivated, insisting it was an effort to silence her.
Following the suspension, tensions escalated between the lawmaker and key political figures.
Akpoti-Uduaghan filed several petitions and made new accusations, including claims that Akpabio and Yahaya Bello conspired to orchestrate her assassination outside Abuja under the guise of a mob attack.
In response, Senate President Akpabio petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, calling for an investigation into what he described as “criminal defamation, incitement, false accusation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.”
Yahaya Bello also submitted a petition, alleging that the senator’s claims were baseless and part of a broader campaign to tarnish his reputation.
The case is expected to attract national attention as it unfolds in court.