Unoma Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed two separate lawsuits against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, accusing her of defamation and violation of fundamental human rights.
The legal action follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent public claims that her difficulties in the Senate began after she rejected sexual advances from Akpabio.
In the first suit (Suit No: CV/814/25), Mrs. Akpabio alleges that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statements caused her and her children emotional distress and fear for their safety. She argues that the senator’s claims violated her right to dignity under the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. As part of her demands, Mrs. Akpabio is seeking ₦250 billion in compensation and a permanent injunction to prevent further defamatory statements.
In a second defamation suit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Akpabio challenges Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations that her husband made sexual advances towards her. She describes the claims as false and malicious, saying they have damaged her family’s reputation and caused public humiliation. She is requesting a public apology in two national newspapers, The Guardian and ThisDay, along with ₦1 billion in damages. “The allegations have caused untold pain and emotional trauma to me and my family,” Mrs. Akpabio said in the suit.
The court has not yet set a date for the hearings of the lawsuits.
The dispute between the two lawmakers began after Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered that her seating position in the Senate chamber had been changed without her knowledge. She protested the decision, which led to a temporary disruption during a plenary session. The Senate referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun from Edo South, for investigation, with a two-week deadline for a report.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a ₦100 billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio and his senior aide, Mfon Patrick, over a post on Patrick’s Facebook page that accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of believing that being a senator was all about wearing makeup and transparent outfits. Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, described the post as defamatory, provocative, and damaging to her client’s reputation.
The controversy escalated on Friday when Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where she accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her. She claimed that some colleagues had warned her to accept the seat change, which she described as part of a plot against her.
In response, Akpabio’s wife, Unoma Akpabio, rejected the allegations, calling them “false and baseless.” She defended her husband, stating, “My husband is a disciplined man who respects women.”
