Two separate Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Courts have issued summons to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, over a series of serious allegations brought forward by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The cases involve claims of defamation, sexual harassment, and violation of fundamental human rights.
Summons Issued to Akpabio, Clerk, and Aide
In suit FCT/HC/CV/754/2025, presided over by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, the court granted Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan Natasha leave to serve writs of summons and hearing notices on Senate President Akpabio—both personally and in his official capacity. The court also approved service on Mfon Patrick, Akpabio’s senior legislative aide, and the Clerk of the National Assembly.
This followed an ex parte motion (M/6603/2025) presented by her legal counsel, U.J. Udoh, and backed by a sworn affidavit from Hamzat Mogaji, litigation manager at Victor Giwa & Associates. The matter was adjourned to June 9, 2025, for a report on the service of court documents.
Nwaebonyi Faces ₦5 Billion Defamation Suit
In a separate case, suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1359/25, Justice A.O. Otaluka granted leave for substituted service of documents on Senator Nwaebonyi. The court’s decision came after an ex parte motion filed on May 10, 2025, supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit and argued by Michael J. Numa, SAN. The matter is set for further hearing on June 25, 2025.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is demanding ₦5 billion in damages, citing defamatory statements allegedly made by Nwaebonyi during a live interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily program on March 6, 2025.
Context and Fallout
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently under a six-month suspension from the Senate, is asserting her rights amid what her legal team describes as coordinated attacks on her character and person. While details of the sexual harassment claim have yet to be made public, the twin lawsuits signify a sharp escalation in tensions within the Nigerian Senate.
The involvement of the Senate President, a senior aide, and the Clerk of the National Assembly, suggests the case could have broader implications for legislative conduct, gender-based accountability, and intra-parliamentary conflict resolution in Nigeria.
Observers anticipate that the upcoming court dates in June 2025 could shed further light on the details of the allegations and the political ramifications within the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
