Akpabio’s Wife Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Natasha Akpoti, Seeks N250bn Damages

Ekaette Akpabio, the spouse of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has initiated several legal actions against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator for Kogi Central, due to purportedly defamatory remarks.

During an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that the Senate President had made sexual overtures toward her in both his office and his home in Akwa Ibom.

In response, the Senate President’s wife defended her husband’s character, asserting that he is principled and dismissing the senator’s accusations as “lies.”

In a fundamental rights lawsuit lodged at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Ekaette described the “scandalous and salacious” statements by Akpoti-Uduaghan as having inflicted “emotional and psychological abuse” on her and her children.

The wife of Akpabio requested that the court prevent Akpoti-Uduaghan from issuing additional “spiteful” remarks that violate her fundamental human rights.

“AN ORDER awarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside,” the fundamental rights suit reads. “Such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

Ekaette said the Kogi senator’s comments “damaged the reputation of the claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium.” She asked the court to mandate Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an apology to her family and publish it in two national newspapers.

“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of ₦1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation,” a portion of the suit reads. “AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimant’s family.”

The Senate President has not yet made any public statements regarding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations. Attempts by TheCable to obtain a response from his media assistants have so far been unsuccessful.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli