Courts Summon Akpabio and Nwaebonyi Over Natasha’s Rights Violation

The legal drama unfolding in the corridors of power is heating up as Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Deputy Chief Whip Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi find themselves under the scrutiny of the Federal Capital Territory High Courts. Both have been summoned over serious allegations brought by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accuses them of defamation, sexual harassment, and violations of her fundamental rights.

In the first suit, presided over by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, Akpoti-Uduaghan has been granted permission to serve court papers directly to Akpabio—not just as an individual but also in his official role as Senate President. This includes not only Akpabio himself but also a senior legislative aide and the Clerk of the National Assembly, signaling a wide net cast around the Senate’s inner workings. The court has set June 9, 2025, as the date to report on the progress of this service.

Meanwhile, in a parallel case before Justice A.O. Otaluka, a similar permission was granted for court documents to be served on Senator Nwaebonyi. The matter is scheduled to proceed on June 25, 2025. This suit centers on a ₦5 billion defamation claim against Nwaebonyi, sparked by remarks he allegedly made during a live TV interview in early March.

All of this is unfolding while Akpoti-Uduaghan herself remains suspended from the Senate for six months, adding a layer of political complexity to an already charged situation. What started as a verbal sparring match now cascades into a courtroom battle with significant implications for Senate decorum and the fight over reputations in Nigeria’s political theatre.