Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed her statement of defense in a pending N1 billion defamation suit instituted against her by former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Her defense, dated April 20, 2026, and seen by Nairametrics, was filed by her lawyer, Joshua Usman, SAN.
Bello, through his counsel, Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN, is demanding payment of aggravated and/or exemplary damages in the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (one billion naira only) by Akpoti for the alleged defamatory statements made against the claimant, as well as a perpetual injunction restraining her from making further alleged slanderous/defamatory statements in any gathering or through any media platform whatsoever concerning the claimant.
In the statement of claim, Balogun also seeks a retraction of the alleged offending statements concerning his client, allegedly made by Akpoti during the “Homecoming” rally held in Kogi State, which was widely broadcast by print and electronic media, YouTube/online publishers, bloggers, and several social media platforms, as well as the repetition of the alleged offending statements on the Channels TV programme Politics Today.
What they are saying
In her statement of defense filed by Usman, the defendant stated that the alleged remarks referred to “in paragraph 4 of the Statement of Claim” were statements of genuine concern made to alert the authorities and the general public to an imminent threat to her life, which she reasonably suspected to be the result of alleged clandestine moves by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, arising from a political disagreement.
According to her lawyer, the threat referenced by Akpoti was allegedly “carried out but unsuccessful”, adding that in April 2025, her home in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State, was attacked by gunmen.
The defendant denied being responsible for any subjective imputation, interpretation, or self-attribution adopted by Bello in associating himself with the said remarks.
The defendant admitted granting the said interviews but vehemently denied that she defamed the character or integrity of Yahaya Bello.
Nairametrics exclusively gathered that the matter came up last Tuesday, and the court adjourned it to May 20, 2026, for hearing.
Backstory
Nairametrics reports that Yahaya Bello’s lawyer commenced the defamation suit against Akpoti in 2025, claiming that, by the alleged unguarded statements made by her during the Channels Television programme Politics Today, he has been portrayed as a dangerous criminal and a professional assassin who conspired and concluded plans with the Senate President, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, to assassinate the defendant and leave no trace of the dastardly act.
The claimant alleged that the defendant’s statements on all occasions have caused grave harm to his reputation, incited public condemnation, and fostered distrust against his person.
- “He has been unjustifiably exposed to odium and opprobrium and unwarranted public outbursts of insults, and the false statements, to say the least, have lowered him in the estimation of Nigerians at home and abroad, and even within the international community, who hold the claimant in high esteem.”
He demanded exemplary damages.
What you should know
Nairametrics previously reported that the Federal High Court, Abuja, fined Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan N5 million for contempt (arising from a satirical post) against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while also directing her recall from suspension.
- Parties subsequently approached the Court of Appeal.
- The Court of Appeal, in February 2026, upheld Akpabio’s decision to deny the senator the opportunity to speak during plenary on February 20, 2025.
- The court agreed that the Senate President acted in line with Senate rules, which empower him to allocate seats to lawmakers.
- However, the appellate court quashed the contempt proceedings and the N5 million fine that had been awarded against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a separate defamation case against the senator at a High Court in Abuja, the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation withdrew the case after filing a notice of discontinuance.
