The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has filed a ₦200 billion defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, over allegations of sexual harassment she previously made against him.
The suit was instituted at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.
Confirming the development in a Facebook post on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said the legal action would finally give her “a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed.”
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The senator expressed satisfaction that Akpabio opted for the court process, noting that she had earlier been denied the opportunity to present her case before the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
She wrote: “Today being the 5th day of December, 2025, I’m in receipt of the newly instituted ₦200 billion suit against me by Senator Godswill Akpabio claiming defamation on sexual harassment.”
She added that the Senate Ethics Committee had previously refused to grant her audience on the matter, citing an existing case filed by Akpabio’s wife as the reason the committee could not act.
Akpoti-Uduaghan stated that Senate rules barred her from approaching the courts without first presenting her petition before the Ethics Committee, the same committee that earlier recommended her suspension. She said she now welcomes the opportunity to present evidence, claiming that her refusal to accede to Akpabio’s alleged advances led to “unprovoked and unprecedented attacks” against her.
In her post, the Kogi senator attached a court order issued by Justice U.P. Kekemeke directing that she be served through substituted means via the Clerk of the National Assembly.
The order was issued on November 6, and hearing is scheduled to begin on January 21, 2026.
In February, Akpoti-Uduaghan had alleged in an Arise TV interview that Akpabio made sexual advances toward her in his office and at his residence in Akwa Ibom.
She claimed her challenges in the Senate began after she rejected those alleged advances.
However, Akpabio has consistently denied the allegations.
Before the controversy, both lawmakers had engaged in a heated exchange on the Senate floor over changes to seating arrangements.
