KOGI Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has been arraigned before Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for alleged defamation.
The lawmaker was arraigned on Thursday by the Federal Government on three counts bordering on alleged defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Security operatives are visible around the court, with the proceeding attended by the lawmaker’s husband, a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili; activist Aisha Yesufu; and numerous supporters.
The government accused the Senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the penal code, CAP 89, laws of the federation, 1990. The offence is punishable under Section 392 of the same law.
The list of witnesses showed that Akpabio and Bello would testify during the trial.
One of the charges was linked to an allegation by Akpoti-Uduaghan, wherein she accused the Senate President and the former Kogi governor of plotting to assassinate her.
The Federal Government accused the Senator of having, in a television interview, made an imputation concerning Akpabio, saying that, “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me.
“Let’s ask the Senate President, why in the first instance did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks. He then emphasized that I should be killed, but I should be killed in Kogi.
In count two, Akpoti-Uduaghan was accused of “Making an imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person, contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, and punishable under Section 392 of the same Law.
She was also accused of having, on or about March 27, 2025, during a two-way telephone conversation with one Sandra C. Duru in Abuja, made certain imputations concerning Akpabio.
After the hearing, the Court granted the Senator representing bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in F.C.T Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
