The Federal Government has instituted a N5 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) over her public allegations of corruption in Kogi State projects during former Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration. In a surprising legal move, the Attorney-General of the Federation listed Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Bello himself as key witnesses in the case filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The lawsuit alleges that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims about misappropriation of N80 billion in Kogi infrastructure funds were “false, malicious and damaging to government reputation.” This marks a rare instance of the Federal Government legally challenging a sitting senator over corruption allegations made in her oversight capacity.
Case Breakdown
✔ Parties Involved:
- Plaintiff: Federal Government (through AGF)
- Defendant: Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
- Key Witnesses: Akpabio, Bello, 3 ministry officials
✔ Core Allegation:
Defamatory statements about Kogi project execution
✔ Relief Sought:
N5 billion damages + public apology
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Why This Matters
► Tests constitutional protections for legislative speech
► May set precedent for future government-official disputes
► Comes amid Akpoti’s probes into Akpabio’s ministerial past
Next Legal Steps
- Case assignment to a judge
- Preliminary hearings expected within 30 days
- Potential motion to dismiss by defense
