The President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed suggestions by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that a “new” defamation suit was only recently filed against her, describing the claim as inaccurate and deliberately misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Media Jackson Udom, Akpabio clarified that the suit — arising from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s widely publicised but unproven allegations of sexual misconduct — has been before the court for more than three months.
He said the matter is already progressing within the judicial system, contrary to the impression created on social media.
“The case is not new and it was not ‘just filed’ as she claims,” Akpabio’s office stated. “It has been active for months, with all filings properly entered before the court.”
According to documents already in judicial custody, the brief lull in proceedings was due to routine administrative timelines, not inactivity on the part of the plaintiff.
Akpabio also revealed that delays in serving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan were caused by her repeated evasion of personal service — a fact confirmed in a sworn affidavit by the court bailiff.
After several unsuccessful attempts, the court issued an order for substituted service in November.
He stressed that the suggestion of a newly filed suit is therefore “a clear distortion of the facts.”
The Senate President emphasised that he remains committed to resolving the matter strictly through legal channels, not through social-media commentary or public dramatics. He noted that the law demands evidence, not theatrics, and that the court remains the proper forum for Akpoti-Uduaghan to defend her claims.
“If she has the evidence she keeps speaking about, this is the time to present it,” he said. “The case is already in motion, and the process will run its full course.”
Akpabio reiterated that legal disputes must be settled by due process — not by sensational posts designed to sway public emotion — and expressed confidence that the judiciary will address the matter according to the facts before it.
Akpabio: Defamation Suit Against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Is Not a New Case
