The wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, has initiated legal action against Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, filing multiple lawsuits over allegations of sexual harassment made against her husband, Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Mrs. Akpabio has filed both fundamental rights and defamation lawsuits at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, seeking a total of N251 billion in damages. These legal actions have been taken in response to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public accusations, where she claimed that Senate President Akpabio had been victimizing her within the Senate after she reportedly rejected his alleged sexual advances. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan further alleged that Akpabio made several inappropriate advances toward her, even in the presence of her husband.
In her legal response, Mrs. Akpabio has vehemently denied the allegations, accusing the senator of fabricating these claims for personal gain. She had previously indicated the possibility of taking legal action when she warned about the false nature of the claims during a press conference before moving forward with the lawsuits.
Breakdown of the lawsuits:
Fundamental rights lawsuit (Suit No: CV/814/25)
Mrs. Akpabio argues that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations have violated her fundamental rights, citing Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015. She is seeking the following:
A declaration from the court affirming that the statements made by Akpoti-Uduaghan in the Senate and on Arise News TV have infringed on her rights.An order of perpetual injunction preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making any further “scandalous and inciteful” statements, which, according to Mrs. Akpabio, have caused her and her children emotional distress and fear for their safety.
N250 billion in damages for the alleged infringement of her fundamental rights.
Defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25)
In addition to the fundamental rights lawsuit, Mrs. Akpabio has filed a defamation suit, claiming that the accusations made by Akpoti-Uduaghan have damaged her family’s reputation. She is seeking the following in the defamation suit:
A court declaration that the claims made by Akpoti-Uduaghan, particularly her statements on national television without proof, have tarnished the reputation of her family.A public retraction and apology from Akpoti-Uduaghan, to be published in leading Nigerian newspapers such as The Guardian and ThisDay.
N1 billion in punitive and exemplary damages for the alleged harm caused to her family’s reputation and the emotional toll it has taken on them.
A perpetual injunction to prevent Akpoti-Uduaghan from making any further defamatory statements that could further harm her family’s name.
These legal proceedings have sparked significant public debate, with political analysts and observers closely following the developments to understand how the case will unfold in the coming weeks. The lawsuits have drawn attention due to the high-profile nature of the individuals involved, as well as the serious nature of the accusations and the substantial amount of damages being sought. Given the political implications and the public figures involved, the outcome of this case is likely to have far-reaching consequences.