Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed two lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, accusing her of defamation and violation of fundamental human rights.
The legal battle stems from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent claims that her issues in the Senate began after she refused alleged sexual advances from the Senate President. In the first lawsuit (Suit No: CV/814/25), which focuses on fundamental human rights violations, Mrs. Akpabio alleged that the senator’s statements caused emotional trauma for her and her children, leaving them in fear for their lives. She urged the court to declare the remarks a violation of her right to dignity under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Additionally, she is demanding ₦250 billion in damages and a perpetual injunction preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further allegations.
In a separate defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio refuted the senator’s claims, describing them as false, malicious, and damaging to her family’s reputation. She asked the court to compel Akpoti-Uduaghan to issue a public apology in The Guardian and ThisDay newspapers and pay ₦1 billion in damages.
“These allegations have caused untold pain and emotional trauma to me and my family,” Mrs. Akpabio stated in her suit.
A court date for the hearings has yet to be set.
The dispute between the lawmakers began after Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered her Senate chamber seat had been reassigned without her prior knowledge. She protested the change, briefly disrupting a plenary session. In response, the Senate referred the matter to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imaseun from Edo South, with a two-week deadline to investigate and submit a report.
Amid the ongoing controversy, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a ₦100 billion lawsuit against Senate President Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, accusing them of defamation. Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, cited a Facebook post by Patrick titled, Is Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright? The post allegedly mocked Akpoti-Uduaghan, implying that she saw her senatorial position as merely an opportunity to wear makeup and revealing outfits to the chamber.
Giwa described the post as defamatory and damaging, arguing that it had tarnished his client’s reputation among her colleagues and the public.
The controversy escalated further on Friday when Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show and accused Akpabio of sexual harassment. She also claimed that some Senate colleagues warned her to accept the seat reassignment, hinting at a broader plot against her.
In response, Unoma Akpabio dismissed the allegations as baseless, insisting that her husband is a disciplined man who respects women.
READ ALSO: Natasha Accuses Akpabio of Sexual Harassment, Senate President Refutes Allegation
