High Courts Summon Senate President Akpabio And Deputy Chief Whip Nwaebonyi Over Allegations By Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Two High Courts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have issued summons to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Chief Whip Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, following allegations of sexual harassment, defamation, and breaches of fundamental rights brought by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the representative for Kogi Central.
Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, presiding over suit FCT/HC/CV/754/2025 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, granted leave for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve the writ of summons, statement of claim, and related court documents on Senator Akpabio, both personally and in his capacity as Senate President. The court also directed that Mr Mfon Patrick, a senior legislative aide to Akpabio, and the Clerk of the National Assembly be served. Justice Kutigi scheduled 9 June 2025 for a report on the service of the summons, following a motion (M/6603/2025) moved by U.J. Udoh, counsel for Akpoti-Uduaghan, and supported by a six-paragraph affidavit from Hamzat Mogaji of Victor Giwa & Associates.
Separately, in suit FCT/HC/CV/1359/25, Justice A.O. Otaluka of the FCT High Court approved substituted service of court documents on Senator Nwaebonyi. This ruling came after an ex parte motion filed on 10 May 2025, supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit and argued by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Michael J. Numa, representing Akpoti-Uduaghan. The case has been adjourned to 25 June 2025 for further hearing.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate, has accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and claims his aide, Mfon Patrick, defamed her character. She is seeking £100 billion in general damages and £300 million in litigation costs from the aide, alongside a perpetual injunction to restrain Nwaebonyi and associates from publishing further defamatory content about her.
The Kogi Central senator has also filed a £5 billion defamation lawsuit against Nwaebonyi, alleging he made false and malicious statements during a live interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on 6 March 2025. According to her legal team, led by Numa, Nwaebonyi labelled her a “gold digger,” “habitual liar,” and “habitual blackmailer,” and claimed she had six children with different men and that her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, married her under duress. Akpoti-Uduaghan argues these remarks were intended to portray her as someone who extorts money dishonestly, causing significant harm to her reputation and emotional distress.
The suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan followed a seating arrangement dispute with Akpabio, which the Senate cited as “gross misconduct.” However, the senator disputes this, insisting her suspension was retaliatory and linked to her harassment allegations against the Senate President.
These legal battles highlight ongoing tensions within Nigeria’s Senate, raising questions about accountability, gender dynamics, and the protection of fundamental rights in the legislative sphere. The outcomes of these cases, set for further hearings in June 2025, are eagerly awaited.