The Federal Government has filed a criminal case against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegedly defamatory remarks made during a live television interview, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello set to testify as witnesses.
The case, registered as CR/297/25, was filed on May 16, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.
The charge accuses the Kogi Central senator of making “imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
The offence falls under Section 391 of the Penal Code and is punishable under Section 392.
According to court filings, Akpoti-Uduaghan is the sole defendant in the case.
The prosecution alleges that she made the defamatory claims during her April 3, 2025 appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Listed as key witnesses are Senate President Akpabio and ex-Governor Bello—both named as nominal complainants, as well as Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, political figure Sandra Duru, and two police investigators, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba.
The legal action follows a string of confrontations between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate leadership, particularly Senate President Akpabio.
On March 6, she was suspended from the Senate over what was officially described as “gross misconduct” during a contentious seating arrangement dispute.
Denying the allegations and suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan called the action “unlawful and politically motivated,” arguing that it was an attempt to silence her after she raised earlier claims of sexual harassment within the Senate.
In the weeks following her suspension, she filed several petitions, including a sensational accusation that Akpabio had conspired to have her assassinated.
In a particularly damning accusation, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that former Governor Yahaya Bello acted on Akpabio’s instructions to eliminate her.
“He [Bello] was asked to arrange my assassination in a manner that would appear as a mob attack outside Abuja,” she claimed.
In response, Akpabio and Bello submitted petitions to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, accusing Akpoti-Uduaghan of criminal defamation, incitement, false accusations, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
“This is not politics. This is an orchestrated character assassination on live national television. She lied on Channels TV. She must be held accountable,” a source close to the case quoted a complainant as saying, reflecting the gravity of the allegations.
