Unoma Akpabio, the wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed two lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
The suits are over claims of defamation and violation of fundamental human rights.
The legal action comes after Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, alleged that her challenges in the Senate began because she rejected sexual advances from the Senate President.
In the first suit, which focuses on fundamental rights (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs. Akpabio accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making false and damaging statements. She said the allegations caused emotional pain for her and her children, leaving them scared for their safety.
She asked the court to declare that her right to dignity, protected by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, was violated. She is also seeking N250 billion in damages and a permanent order stopping Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further claims.
In a separate defamation suit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio denied the senator’s claim that her husband harassed her. She described the accusations as false and malicious, saying they had brought public shame to her family.
Mrs. Akpabio asked the court to order Akpoti-Uduaghan to issue a public apology in two national newspapers, The Guardian and ThisDay, and pay N1 billion in damages.
“The allegations have caused untold pain and emotional trauma to me and my family,” Mrs. Akpabio stated in her suit.
The court has not yet set a date for the hearing of both cases.
The dispute between the two lawmakers began when Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat in the Senate chamber was changed without her consent. She protested during a plenary session, leading the Senate to refer the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun from Edo South. The committee was given two weeks to report back.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion lawsuit against Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, for defamation. Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, said Patrick had published a statement on Facebook titled, ‘Is Local Content Committee of the Senate Natasha’s Birthright?’ The post accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of believing that being a senator was about wearing makeup and transparent outfits.
Giwa said the statement harmed his client’s reputation both in the Senate and among the public.
On Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke on Arise Television’s Morning Show, accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment. She claimed that some colleagues had warned her to accept the seat change as part of a plot against her.
However, Mrs. Akpabio dismissed the accusations, saying, “My husband is a disciplined man who respects women.”
