Senate President Godswill Akpabio has filed a N200 billion defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations that he sexually harassed her. The lawsuit, filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is accompanied by Motion No. M/12725/2025 and seeks substantial damages, public apologies, and removal of all online content containing the allegations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan confirmed receipt of the suit in a statement posted on Thursday, saying:
“Today being the 5th day of December, 2025, I’m in receipt of the newly instituted 200 billion naira suit against me by Senator Godswill Akpabio claiming defamation on sexual harassment.”
She said she welcomed the development, noting that the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges had previously declined to hear her petition.
According to her: “Now, I am glad that Sen. Akpabio has brought this up because the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges failed to grant me audience in this issue relying on the fact that Godswill Akpabio’s wife had instituted a defamatory case against me. Therefore they couldn’t attend to a matter already in court.”
Court filings seen on Thursday show that Akpabio accuses the Kogi Central senator of granting interviews and making public statements on television, radio, and online that portrayed him as a predator who exploited his position for personal gratification. The Senate President argues that the allegations were widely consumed by “millions of Nigerians,” causing what he describes as severe reputational damage, humiliation, and distress.
The suit demands: retractions across media platforms, removal of all online materials containing the allegations, public apology broadcasts across major media outlets for consecutive days and N200 billion in damages.
According to court documents, Akpabio filed an ex parte application in December seeking permission to serve the suit through substituted means after attempts to serve Akpoti-Uduaghan directly were unsuccessful.
Justice Kekemeke granted the request, allowing the claimant to serve all originating and subsequent court processes, including hearing notices, through the Clerk of the National Assembly or any staff in the Clerk’s office at the Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
The court order reads in part: “AN ORDER of the Honourable Court granting leave to the Claimant/Applicant to serve the Originating Processes… by delivering same to the Clerk of the National Assembly, or any staff in the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly… AN ORDER …deeming the said mode of service of the processes on the Defendant as good and proper service.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan, in her statement, said Senate rules initially prevented her from taking the matter to court because she was required to first present her complaint before the Senate Ethics Committee.
“Albeit, I couldn’t proceed to court because by senate rules, I must still present my case before the Ethics committee (same committee that recommended my illegal suspension),” she said.
She added that the lawsuit now gives her the opportunity to present her allegations formally:
“Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed and how my refusal to give into his demands unleashed series of unprovoked and unprecedented attacks on my person.”
Ending her statement, she declared: “See you in court Godswill Akpabio. Senator Natasha H Akpoti Uduaghan, Kogi Central.”
The case Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/3356/2025 is expected to proceed in the coming weeks and is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched legal battles in Nigeria’s recent political history.
