Unoma Akpabio Takes Legal Action Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
The legal dispute between Unoma Akpabio, the wife of Nigeria’s Senate President, and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has escalated significantly. Unoma Akpabio has filed two lawsuits against the senator representing Kogi Central, accusing her of violating her rights and defaming her in public statements. These actions stem from remarks made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a televised interview and statements made on the floor of the Senate.
Allegations and Legal Claims
The lawsuits filed by Unoma Akpabio claim that the senator’s actions have caused her emotional distress, tarnished her reputation, and inflicted harm on her family. Specifically, Unoma Akpabio is seeking a substantial N250 billion in damages for what she describes as “exemplary, punitive, aggravated, and general damages” resulting from Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statements.
In the first case, Unoma Akpabio argues that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s comments on February 2, and her later statements during the Arise News interview, were a “flagrant violation” of her fundamental human rights. The accusations involve defamation and emotional distress, with the legal claims citing multiple violations of Nigerian constitutional rights and international human rights protocols. Unoma Akpabio is seeking a court order to prevent further defamatory statements and demands an apology for the distress caused to her and her children.
The second lawsuit focuses on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims that Senate President Godswill Akpabio made sexual advances toward her. Unoma Akpabio strongly denies these allegations, calling them false, malicious, and damaging to her family’s reputation. The lawsuit seeks N1 billion in damages and a public retraction of the statements. Furthermore, Unoma Akpabio demands a formal apology from the senator, to be published in two nationally-read newspapers, and a perpetual injunction to prevent any further defamatory remarks.
The Background of the Dispute
The disagreement between the two women began when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan raised an issue in the Senate concerning her seating arrangement. She discovered that her seat had been changed without her knowledge, leading to a protest on the Senate floor. The issue sparked a small uproar during a plenary session, leading to the referral of the matter to the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for investigation.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reaction to the seating change and the subsequent legal actions—including a defamation lawsuit against Senate President Akpabio and his senior aide, Mfon Patrick—have only intensified the tension. The Kogi senator accused Patrick of publishing defamatory statements about her on social media, claiming the post undermined her credibility and depicted her as focused only on appearance rather than her work as a senator.
The Arise News Interview
The dispute reached a new level when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment during an interview on Arise News on February 28. In the interview, she alleged that some of her colleagues warned her to accept the seating change as part of a broader plot against her. She further claimed that the sexual harassment allegations were part of a larger effort to target her.
However, Unoma Akpabio swiftly responded, categorically denying the allegations. She described the claims as “false and baseless,” emphasizing that there was no evidence to support Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statements.
Legal and Public Reactions
The legal action taken by Unoma Akpabio represents a direct response to what she perceives as an attack on her family’s integrity and reputation. The demand for such a significant sum in damages underscores the seriousness with which she views these claims. The lawsuits not only challenge the veracity of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations but also reflect the broader implications of personal and political disputes in Nigeria’s high-stakes political arena.
The outcome of these lawsuits remains to be seen, but the situation has sparked widespread discussion about the intersection of politics, personal reputations, and the use of legal means to address perceived wrongs. Both women have strong political profiles, with Unoma Akpabio being closely associated with the Senate leadership, while Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is seen as a vocal and controversial figure in Kogi politics.
As the legal proceedings continue, it remains to be seen how the court will handle the allegations and whether the relationship between these two prominent women in Nigerian politics can ever be repaired.
Reference
Unoma Akpabio Takes Legal Action Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan