Old animosity reignited on Friday as Senate President Godswill Akpabio launched a fresh ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central).
Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed the development in a Facebook post on Friday, attaching the notice of suit numbered FCT/HC/CV/3356/2025 before Justice U. P. Kekemeke.
She said the case now gives her the chance to present her account before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which had earlier declined to hear her complaint.
Akpabio, in his filing before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, accused the senator of making “false, malicious, and injurious” claims that portrayed him as a “sexual predator” and exposed him to “public hatred, contempt, and ridicule.”
The former Akwa Ibom governor is seeking monetary damages, public retractions, and nationwide broadcast apologies.
Court Orders and Service
On November 6, the court granted an order for substituted service after bailiffs failed to serve Akpoti-Uduaghan directly. The documents were routed through the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Confirming receipt, Akpoti-Uduaghan declared readiness for trial, insisting the case now provides her the platform she was denied in the Senate.
Posting on Facebook and Instagram, she wrote: “I’m in receipt of the newly instituted ₦200bn suit against me by Senator Godswill Akpabio claiming defamation on sexual harassment.”
She added: “Now, I am glad that Akpabio has brought this up because the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges failed to grant me an audience on this issue… Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed and how my refusal to give in to his demands unleashed a series of unprovoked and unprecedented attacks on my person. See you in court Godswill Akpabio.”
Political Tensions in the 10th Senate
Her reaction reignited debate around escalating tensions in the 10th Senate. Observers describe the lawsuit as one of the most significant political face‑offs between a Senate President and a sitting colleague in recent memory.
Earlier in March 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months after protesting the relocation of her seat during plenary. She accused Akpabio of targeting her and once labelled him a “dictator.”
Although her suspension expired in September, she faced legal constraints and internal pushback before resuming. Her sealed office was eventually reopened by the Sergeant-at-Arms. Returning defiantly, she maintained she had “no apology to tender,” insisting dissent was being stifled within the chamber.
Legal Showdown Looms
Documents from the High Court indicate Akpabio is demanding extensive damages, retractions, and nationwide broadcast apologies.
He argues that millions of Nigerians consumed the allegations, creating backlash that was damaging, humiliating, and deeply distressing.
The suit includes a detailed Statement of Claim and a list of witnesses. Akpabio is asking the court to compel removal of all online materials containing the allegations and to order apologies broadcast across major media outlets for several consecutive days.
With both lawmakers preparing for trial, the case is set to become another controversial legal and political battles that will keep Nigerians entertained.
But some suggest the lawsuit are less about protecting reputation and more about consolidating political control and distracting Nigerians from the core demands of good governance.
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