Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan Arrives Court with Ezekwesili, Yesufu

By WorldWire News | June 19, 2025

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accompanied by her husband Emmanuel Uduaghan

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accompanied by her husband Emmanuel Uduaghan, former education minister Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, and human rights activist Aisha Yesufu, appeared at the High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday ahead of her arraignment on charges filed by the Federal Government.

The charges stem from a televised statement made on April 3 during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello were plotting to assassinate her. The federal government contends that this statement was false and defamatory.

In the three-count charge (CR/297/25), the senator is accused of knowingly making a damaging imputation with the intent to harm reputations, in violation of Section 391 of the Penal Code. The alleged offense is punishable under Section 392 of the same law. Both Akpabio and Bello are listed as nominal complainants, and will testify as witnesses alongside police investigators and other officials.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi West, is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate after a heated exchange during plenary on February 20, where she clashed with the Senate President over the alteration of her seating position. Her refusal to yield the floor led to a disciplinary referral and her eventual suspension.

The arraignment comes shortly after the senator filed a petition to the Attorney-General of the Federation, accusing law enforcement of bias in their handling of her complaints against high-ranking politicians. A separate court hearing on June 27 will determine the legality of her Senate suspension.

The high-profile case continues to draw national attention as questions mount over parliamentary privilege, gender equity, political retaliation, and freedom of expression within Nigeria’s democratic institutions.