By Abiola Olawale
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has filed a N200 billion defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district of Kogi State at the Senate, over allegations of sexual harassment.
It was gathered that the suit was lodged at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.
Akpabio, in the suit, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public statements, particularly during a televised interview in February, were “false, malicious, and injurious,” portraying him as a “sexual predator” and exposing him to “public hatred, contempt, and ridicule.”
Akpabio is seeking N200 billion in general damages.
Confirming the development, Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a Facebook post on Friday, said the case will give her a “chance to prove how I was sexually harassed”.
The Kogi senator expressed joy that the Senate President took the court route, adding that she had previously been denied the opportunity to prove her allegations.
“Today being the 5th day of December, 2025, I’m in receipt of the newly instituted 200 billion naira suit against me by Senator Godswill Akpabio claiming defamation on sexual harassment,” she wrote.
“Now, I am glad that Sen. Akpabio has brought this up because the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges failed to grant me an audience on this issue, relying on the fact that Godswill Akpabio’s wife had instituted a defamatory case against me. Therefore, they couldn’t attend to a matter already in court.
“Albeit I couldn’t proceed to court because by senate rules, I must still present my case before the Ethics committee (same committee that recommended my illegal suspension).
“Alas, I now have a chance to prove how I was sexually harassed and how my refusal to give in to his demands unleashed a series of unprovoked and unprecedented attacks on my person.”
Recall that in February, Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an interview on Arise TV, alleged that the Senate president made sexual advances at her in his office and residence in Akwa Ibom.
The lawmaker alleged that her trouble in the Senate began after she rejected sexual advances from Akpabio.
However, Akpabio had denied the allegations.
