Suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is set to appear before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja today, Tuesday, over criminal defamation charges filed against her by the Federal Government.
Her lead counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria West Idahosa, confirmed her appearance, stating that Akpoti-Uduaghan would obey the court’s summons, despite uncertainty about whether her arraignment would take place today. “Our client is a law-abiding citizen. Why wouldn’t she be there? It’s a summons we have undertaken,”
The Federal Government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, filed charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan on May 16, 2025. The charge, marked CR/297/25, accuses her of making defamatory statements against prominent politicians, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
According to the charges, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly made serious claims during a live broadcast of *Politics Today* on Channels TV on April 3, 2025. She was quoted as saying that Akpabio and Bello held a meeting to discuss a plan to eliminate her. “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night— to eliminate me… he then highlighted that I should be killed in Kogi,” the charge stated.
In addition to her public remarks, the government also cited a private phone conversation with one Dr. Sandra Duru on March 27, 2025. In the call, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly claimed that Akpabio was involved in an organ harvesting ring, linking him to the death of Iniubong Umoren and alleging the organs were for Akpabio’s sick wife.
Both Akpabio and Bello are listed as key witnesses in the case, alongside four others.
Idahosa, in response to the charges, said the legal team is fully prepared to defend the senator. “If the case is called tomorrow, we will respond accordingly. The issue of protest is irrelevant to us — we are lawyers, and our focus is on defending charges we believe can be contested,” he said.
When asked whether the court would proceed with arraignment, Idahosa admitted there was no clarity. “We saw a notice of amended charges. We don’t know what they are trying to do. They’ve amended the charges once and could do so again—it’s their decision.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate earlier this year following political tension in Kogi State. The current legal case adds to ongoing controversies surrounding her role in the state’s politics and her outspoken criticism of powerful figures.
As the case unfolds, many Nigerians will be watching closely to see how it plays out in court, especially given the high-profile individuals involved.