01-03-2025
Why Godswill Akpabio wife drag senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan go court
Di wife of Nigeria Senate President Unoma Akpabio don file multiple lawsuits against di senator wey dey represent Kogi Central for di National Assembly, senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Madam Akpabio dey accuse di senator for violation of her fundamental rights and defamation, wey come from statements wey di senator make on di floor of di senate and during one televised interview on Arise News.
She also dey demand for N250 billion as damages and anoda N1 billion charges.
Di legal actions wey she file bifor di Federal Capital Territory High Court for Abuja, dey come afta senator Natasha accuse di senate president Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment during one interview wit Arise News on Friday, 28 February.
For di interview, senator Nastaha bin claim say di senate president dey victimise her bicos she no gree im sexual advances.
Madam Akpabio wey react to senator Natasha claims for one press conference, tok say she dey lie and just dey create contents for her personal gains, as she threaten legal actions against senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Wetin dey di lawsuits
Di suits wey BBC Pidgin see, show say Madam Akpabio file two lawsuits against senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
For di first suit on fundamental rights violation (Suit No: CV/814/25), Madam Akpabio argue say di senator statement on 2 February, and during di television interview na "flagrant violation" of her fundamental human rights as guaranteed by di Nigerian constitution plus di Charter of Human and Peoples Rights.
She cite Section 34(1)(a) of di 1999 Constitution (as amended), di wife of di senate president dey seek multiple legal remedies, wey include: "A declaration say di senator remarks violate her fundamental rights and subject she and her children to emotional and psychological distress.
Madam Akpabio want "N250 billion in damages for wetin she describe as exemplary, punitive, aggravated, and general damages she suffer sake of di senator statement.
For a separate defamation Suit No: CV/816/25, Madam Akpabio challenge di senator claim say her husband make sexual advances towards her.
She describe di allegations as false, malicious, and damaging. She add say di accusation don bring her family into disrepute and public shame.
She want make di court order di defendant to issue a formal written retraction of di defamatory words plus tender unconditional apology to di claimant and her family. She go publish di apology for two nationally-read newspaper.
Di senate president wife also want make di court order senator Natasha -
Di court neva fix any date for di hearing of di two suits.
Wetin cause di recent disagreement
Di recent gbasgbos between di senate president Godswill Akpabio and senator Akpoti-Uduagan start afta di Kogi central senator discover say dem don change her seating for di Senate chamber without her knowledge.
She protest di action for di floor of di house, wey cause small kasala during one plenary session.
Di Senate later refer her case to di Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, wey Senator Neda Imaseun from Edo South, dey lead for investigation.
Di senate give di committee two weeks to submit dia report.
In response, senator Akpoti-Uduaghan bin file ₦100 billion lawsuit against senate president Akpabio and im senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick, for defamation.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, tok say Oga Patrick publish di alleged defamation on im Facebook page wit di title, 'Is Local Content Committee of di Senate Natasha Birthright?'
Di post accuse Akpoti-Uduaghan say she dey think say to be senator na all about wearing makeup and transparent outfits come di chamber.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan lawyer describe di statement as provocative and damaging, Giwa tok say e don lower im client reputation among her colleagues and di public.
On Friday, 28 February, di mata escalate wem Akpoti-Uduaghan show on Arise Television Morning Show and accuse Akpabio of sexual harassment.
She bin claim for di interview she grant di televion station say some of her colleagues bin warn her to accept di seat change "bicos na part of one plot against her."
Meanwhile, Akpabio wife don deny di di allegations, she describe dem as "false and baseless".
