The Federal Government has initiated legal action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, over alleged defamatory statements made during a live television broadcast. The suit was filed before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on May 16, 2025, with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as the sole defendant.
In the suit, the government accuses the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person,” citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, CAP 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. The alleged offence is considered serious under the law and is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
Details of the specific remarks are yet to be disclosed, but the case marks a notable development in the ongoing discourse surrounding accountability and the conduct of public officials in Nigeria. The court will determine whether the senator’s statements constitute defamation under Nigerian law, with implications for her political career and the broader legal framework governing free speech and responsibility of public officials.
