Senate President’s Wife Sues Natasha Akpoti for Defamation, Seeks N250 Billion

Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, the wife of the President of the Senate, has initiated multiple lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central following Akpoti’s claims of sexual harassment against her husband.

The legal action includes a fundamental rights suit and a defamation lawsuit, both filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. In these suits, Mrs. Akpabio is seeking a massive N250 billion in damages, accusing Natasha Akpoti of making false and damaging allegations.

Akpoti’s claims, made publicly in the Senate and during an appearance on Arise News TV, suggest that Senate President Akpabio had made several sexual advances toward her, even in the presence of her husband. According to Akpoti, she was targeted and victimized in the Senate after refusing his overtures.

However, Mrs. Akpabio has vehemently denied these allegations, dismissing them as a fabricated attempt by Akpoti to gain personal attention. She has responded by threatening legal action, aiming to protect her family’s reputation and well-being.

During a press conference, Mrs. Akpabio laid out the legal framework for her complaints. In the fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), she invoked Section 34(1)(a) of the Nigerian Constitution and provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to demand justice. She seeks a declaration that the accusations made by Akpoti violate her fundamental rights, an injunction to prevent further defamatory statements, and the substantial sum of N250 billion in damages for emotional distress and harm to her family.

The defamation suit (Suit No: CV/816/25) targets Akpoti’s public accusations on national television. Mrs. Akpabio claims that the unfounded allegations have severely tarnished her family’s reputation. She is demanding a public retraction and an unconditional apology published in two major newspapers: The Guardian and This Day. Additionally, she is seeking N1 billion in damages for the damage caused to her family’s public image.

The lawsuits are an intense legal confrontation between the two prominent women, with the stakes high for both parties. Mrs. Akpabio’s team argues that these claims are not only damaging but also baseless, and they aim to clear her family’s name while holding Akpoti accountable for the alleged harm caused.