Two High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have separately summoned the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, over alleged sexual harassment, defamation, and breach of fundamental rights of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In suit no: FCT/HC/CV/754/2025 of the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, leave was granted to Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve the Writ of Summons, Statement of Claim, and all other subsequent court processes, including Hearing Notices on the suit, to the person of Akpabio and in his capacity as the Senate President.
Also to be served is Mr. Mfon Patrick, the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, and the Clerk of the National Assembly accordingly.
Justice Kutigi, who considered motion NO: M/6603/2025, fixed June 9, 2025, for the Report of Service of the summons.
Justice Kutigi issued the order upon hearing U.J. Udoh Esq. of counsel for Akpoti-Uduaghan on an ex-parte application and a six-paragraph affidavit in support of the same deposed to by Hamzat Mogaji, Litigation Manager of Victor Giwa & Associates.
Also, in Suit NO: FCT/HC/CV/1359/25, considered by Justice A.O. Otaluka of the Federal High Court, Abuja, leave was granted to Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve the Writ of Summons, accompanying processes, and any other court processes by substituted means on Sen. Nwaebonyi.
The decision by Justice Otaluka followed the consideration of the motion ex parte dated the 10th day of May, 2025, brought pursuant to Order 9 Rule [1 (1) of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Civil Procedure Rules (2025).
The motion NO: M/5277/25 was supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit, a written address, and hearing Michael J. Numa S.A.N., Learned Silk to Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The case was thereby adjourned to June 25, 2025, on the order of the judge.
Recall that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, suspended senator representing Kogi Central, had filed a N5 billion defamation lawsuit against Nwaebonyi over claims that she bore six children for different men.
In the suit filed by her legal team, led by M. J. Numa, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Akpoti-Uduaghan described Nwaebonyi’s allegation as false and a calculated attempt to damage her reputation.
She informed the court that Senator Nwaebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North Central Senatorial District, had severely damaged her reputation, causing her significant emotional distress and subjecting her to public embarrassment and harm to her credibility.
Akpoti-Uduaghan told the court that Nwaebonyi made false and malicious statements about her during a televised interview on Channels TV’s “Sunrise Daily” program on March 6, 2025, where he described her as a “gold digger,” a “habitual liar,” and a “habitual blackmailer,” without any lawful justification.
She told the court that in addition to the claim about her having six children with different men, Senator Nwaebonyi also alleged that her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, married her under duress.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further asserts that these statements, in their natural and ordinary meaning, were intended and understood to depict her as someone who extorts money through dishonest and unscrupulous means as a profession.
Akpoti-Uduaghan told the court that the defendant intentionally made these defamatory statements, fully aware of their falsity, with the aim of discrediting her and justifying her illegal suspension by the Senate.
She further stated that the defendant, a member of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions of the 10th Senate, made these false and reckless remarks to influence public opinion against her ongoing petition before the Senate.
As a result, Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently serving a six-month suspension, among other requests, sought a court order for a perpetual injunction, restraining the defendant, his associates, agents, and others from further publishing or causing the publication of the defamatory statements or any other damaging words about her.
Relatedly, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, claimed that his aide defamed her character.
Among other reliefs, she asked the court to compel the aide to pay N100 billion in general damages and N300 million in litigation costs. (The Guardian)
