Senate President’s Wife Sues Senator Natasha for Defamation, Demands N250 Billion in Damages

Mrs. Unoma Godswill Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President, has filed lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, seeking N250 billion in general damages and an unconditional apology to be published in two national newspapers. The legal action, initiated at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, stems from remarks allegedly made by Senator Natasha during a televised interview on Arise News and on the Senate floor.

In one of the cases, filed as a fundamental rights suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs. Akpabio claims that Senator Natasha’s statements constitute a violation of her fundamental rights under Section 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She is seeking a declaration that the senator’s remarks were a “flagrant violation” of her rights, along with an order restraining Senator Natasha from making further statements deemed “inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful.” Mrs. Akpabio alleges that the statements have caused her and her children emotional and psychological distress, leading to constant fear for their safety.

Additionally, the lawsuit demands an order for N250 billion as exemplary, punitive, and aggravated damages for what Mrs. Akpabio describes as an infringement of her fundamental rights. She is also requesting a perpetual injunction to prevent Senator Natasha from making further comments that could allegedly harm her family.

In a separate defamation suit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio is challenging Senator Natasha’s claim on national television that the Senate President, her husband, made sexual advances towards her. She argues that the allegation, made without evidence, has tarnished her family’s reputation. The lawsuit seeks a formal written retraction of the statement, along with an unconditional apology to be published in *The Guardian* and *This Day* newspapers.

Furthermore, Mrs. Akpabio is demanding N1 billion in punitive and exemplary damages for the alleged harm caused by the senator’s statements. The suit also includes a request for a perpetual injunction preventing Senator Natasha from making any further defamatory remarks about her family.