The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, has granted N50 million bail to suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following her arraignment on a three-count charge of making false and defamatory claims against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
Justice Chizoba Orji, who delivered the ruling on Thursday, dismissed the Federal Government’s application to have the senator remanded in custody, citing her willingness to face trial as justification for bail.
She was directed to provide one surety with a landed property in Abuja.
The bail decision relied on sections 36 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
The trial stems from an allegation that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, during an April 3 appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, falsely claimed that Akpabio and Bello were behind a plot to assassinate her.
FG, through charge number CR/297/25, accused her of knowingly making harmful imputations that could damage reputations — an offence under Section 391 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 392.
The court adjourned the matter to September 23, 2025, for trial.
Among FG’s proposed witnesses are Senate President Akpabio, former Governor Bello, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and two police investigators, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Her legal troubles began after a confrontation during plenary on February 20, when she protested the alleged arbitrary reassignment of her Senate seat. Following a faceoff with Akpabio, the Senate referred her to the Ethics Committee, eventually suspending her for six months.
She has since approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the legality of her suspension. The ruling on that suit is expected on June 27.
The senator had earlier written to the Attorney General of the Federation, accusing the police of bias in handling her petitions against the Senate President. She also alleged in a television interview that her ordeal began after she rebuffed alleged advances from Akpabio.
In a separate ex-parte application, she asked the court to nullify any actions taken by the Senate Ethics Committee while her lawsuit remains pending.
