We’ll present facts against FG’s defamation suit, says Natasha Akpoti’s lawyer

Ehiogie West-Idahosa, counsel to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, says the legal team will present factual defences in the suit filed against the lawmaker by the federal government.

The federal government in the suit marked CR/297/25, filed before a federal capital territory (FCT) high court on May 16, accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”.

The list of witnesses obtained by TheCable shows that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state, will testify during the trial.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Akpabio and Bello of plotting to assassinate her.

The allegation followed her suspension from the senate after an altercation with Akpabio over a change of seating arrangement at the upper legislative chamber.

The Kogi senator accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and petitioned the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister for justice, demanding a probe of her alleged traducers.

In a statement on Saturday, West-Idahosa confirmed receipt of details of a suit filed against the lawmaker.

“At about 2:30pm on Friday, the 23rd of May, 2025, in the premises of the federal capital territory high court, Abuja, we received the information filed by the director of public prosecutions (DPP) containing three counts bordering on allegations that our client, senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central senatorial district in the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made imputations which she had reason to believe will harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, president of the 10th senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement reads.

“We received the said information on behalf of our client upon a letter of authority duly issued by her and filed in the registry of the said court.

“The legal team would adequately prepare all factual and statutory defences available to our client and place same before the Court during trial. We count on the prayers and solidarity of all.”