Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has disclosed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio has filed a ₦200 billion defamation lawsuit against her in response to the sexual harassment accusations she previously made against him.
She stated in a Facebook post on Friday that the suit was lodged at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. Alongside the announcement, she shared the court order issued by judge U.P. Kekemeke, instructing that she be served through substituted means via the clerk of the National Assembly.
The document, dated November 6, outlines that the case is scheduled for hearing on January 21, 2026. Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed that the development provides her with an opportunity to present in court what she described as her factual account of harassment.
She wrote that she received the notice on December 5, 2025, and reiterated that the fresh ₦200 billion claim stemmed from Akpabio’s assertion that her allegations amounted to defamation. According to her, she welcomes the case because the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges previously refused to look into her petition.
She explained that the committee declined to investigate her complaint on the grounds that Akpabio’s wife had reportedly filed a defamation action against her, which they argued prevented them from addressing a matter already before the courts. However, she added that she could not take the matter to court earlier because Senate rules required her to first present her grievance to the Ethics Committee—the same panel that recommended her controversial suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that she is now ready to prove the circumstances under which she said she was “sexually harassed”, adding that her refusal to comply with what she described as Akpabio’s “demands” triggered repeated and unwarranted hostility toward her in the Senate.
In an interview earlier in the year, the senator alleged that the Senate President made sexual propositions toward her both in his office and at his residence in Akwa Ibom. She further claimed that her difficulties within the chamber began after she rejected those alleged advances.
Akpabio, for his part, has denied all accusations.
What You Should Know
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s revelation marks a significant escalation in her long-running dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Central to the clash are allegations of sexual harassment, which she insists occurred in private and later shaped her legislative challenges. The ₦200 billion lawsuit filed by Akpabio seeks to counter her claims as defamatory, setting the stage for a major legal confrontation.
Her statement suggests she sees the courtroom as her first real chance to present evidence after the Senate declined to entertain her petition. The matter now moves from political tension to a high-profile judicial battle.
