The political rift between Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s family and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken a legal turn, as Unoma Akpabio, wife of the Senate President, files lawsuits against the Kogi Central lawmaker.
Mrs. Akpabio has dragged Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, accusing her of slander and violating fundamental human rights.
The legal battle stems from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that she faced hostility in the Senate after rejecting alleged sexual advances from Senate President Akpabio.
The first lawsuit, filed under fundamental rights enforcement (Suit No: CV/814/25), alleges that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public statements caused emotional distress to Mrs. Akpabio and her children.
She contends that the allegations not only put her family in fear for their safety but also infringed on her right to dignity, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Mrs. Akpabio is seeking a court declaration affirming this violation, along with N250 billion in damages and a perpetual injunction restraining Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further allegations against her.
In a separate defamation suit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio challenges Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations against her husband, branding them as false, malicious, and damaging to their family’s reputation. She is asking the court to compel Akpoti-Uduaghan to issue a public apology and pay N1 billion in damages.
The court has yet to schedule hearings for both cases.
The legal battle follows heightened tensions between the two senators, which escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat in the Senate chamber was changed without prior notice. Her protest disrupted plenary, prompting the Senate to refer the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imaseun (Edo South). The committee was given two weeks to investigate and submit a report.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Senator Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick. Her lawyer, Ehi Giwa, insists that the Senate President’s alleged actions have damaged her public reputation and standing among her colleagues.
The controversy deepened when Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and claimed her seat relocation was part of a broader scheme against her. She alleged that some colleagues warned her to accept the move or face further political pressure.
Mrs. Akpabio has strongly rejected the claims against her husband, insisting:
“My husband is a disciplined man who respects women. These allegations are baseless and false.”
As the legal and political battle unfolds, the Senate leadership has yet to issue an official statement on the matter. However, the ongoing feud underscores deepening fractures within the upper legislative chamber.
