By Ojochegbe James
Unoma Godswill Akpabio, wife of the Senate President, has taken up the legal battle against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, filing multiple lawsuits over allegations that she says defame her family and violate her fundamental rights.
The lawsuits, filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, stem from statements Akpoti-Uduaghan made during a Senate session on February 20, 2025, and in a subsequent Arise News interview.
In the fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs. Akpabio contends that the statements caused her and her children emotional and psychological distress. She is demanding: A court declaration affirming the violation of her rights, a perpetual injunction barring Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further statements against her and ₦250 billion in damages for emotional and psychological harm.
In the defamation suit (Suit No: CV/816/25), she argues that Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of making sexual advances towards her, damaging their reputation. Mrs. Akpabio is seeking:
A formal public retraction and apology in The Guardian and This Day newspapers.
₦1 billion in punitive and exemplary damages.
A perpetual injunction preventing further defamatory statements.
With tensions escalating, this high-profile legal clash is expected to draw nationwide attention as court proceedings unfold.