Senate President Godswill Akpabio has launched a staggering N200 billion ($480 million) defamation lawsuit against fellow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of falsely alleging s#xu@l harassment against him.
The suit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, marks a bold legal counterpunch to Akpoti-Uduaghan's earlier public accusations, which she first aired in a February interview on Arise TV.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, welcomed the lawsuit in a candid Facebook post on December 5, framing it as a long-awaited opportunity to air her side of the story in a neutral forum.
"Now, I am glad that Sen. Akpabio has brought this up," she wrote, expressing frustration over a prior Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee probe that stalled due to a separate defamation case filed by Akpabio's wife.
"Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was s#xu@lly harassed and how my refusal to give into his demands unleashed series of unprovoked and unprecedented attacks on my person."
The allegations trace back to February, when Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed Akpabio made unwanted s#xu@l advances toward her during visits to his office and residence in Akwa Ibom State.
She linked her subsequent professional troubles including an "illegal suspension" recommended by the same Ethics Committee to her rejection of those advances.
Akpabio swiftly denied the claims at the time, calling them baseless and politically motivated.
Tensions between the two senators had already simmered publicly. Just before the harassment allegations surfaced, they clashed heatedly on the Senate floor over proposed changes to seating arrangements, highlighting deeper rifts within Nigeria's upper legislative chamber.
The lawsuit's origins date to November 6, when FCT High Court Judge U.P. Kekemeke issued an order allowing substituted service of the summons via the Clerk of the National Assembly, a procedural nod to potential challenges in directly notifying Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The case is slated to kick off on January 21, 2026, promising a high-stakes showdown that could ripple through Nigeria's political landscape.
Akpoti-Uduaghan attached the court order to her social media update, underscoring her readiness to defend her claims.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com