BY NONYELUM JULIET
Abuja
Two High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have issued separate summons to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, over allegations of sexual harassment, defamation of character, and violations of the fundamental rights of the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/754/2025 before the FCT High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi, the court granted leave to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve the Writ of Summons, Statement of Claim, and all other subsequent court processes, including Hearing Notices, on Senator Akpabio both in his personal and official capacity as Senate President.
Also joined in the suit for service is Mr. Mfon Patrick, the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, alongside the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Justice Kutigi, ruling on Motion No: M/6603/2025, which was moved by U.J. Udoh Esq. on behalf of Akpoti-Uduaghan, fixed June 9, 2025, for the report of service of the summons. The motion was supported by a six-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Hamzat Mogaji, Litigation Manager at Victor Giwa & Associates.
In a related development, another suit, marked FCT/HC/CV/1359/25, and presided over by Justice A.O. Otaluka of the FCT High Court, also granted leave for substituted service of court processes on Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi. The leave was granted upon consideration of a motion ex parte dated May 10, 2025, brought pursuant to Order 9 Rule 1(1) of the High Court of the FCT Civil Procedure Rules, 2025.
The application, listed as Motion No: M/5277/25, was supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit, a written address, and was moved by renowned legal luminary, Michael J. Numa (SAN), counsel to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. The matter was subsequently adjourned to June 25, 2025, for further proceedings.
It would be recalled that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently serving a six-month suspension, had filed a N5 billion defamation suit against Senator Nwaebonyi for falsely alleging that she bore six children for different men. The suit, filed by her legal team led by Numa SAN, describes Nwaebonyi’s remarks as malicious and a deliberate attempt to damage her public image.
According to court documents, the Kogi lawmaker claimed that the Ebonyi North Senator made the defamatory remarks during a live interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on March 6, 2025, where he labeled her as a “gold digger,” “habitual liar,” and “habitual blackmailer.” She further noted that he falsely claimed her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, married her under duress.
The plaintiff informed the court that these damaging allegations were meant to undermine her integrity, bring her to public ridicule, and justify her controversial suspension by the Senate. She alleged that the defamatory remarks were orchestrated to influence public perception and prejudice her pending petition before the Senate.
Furthermore, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio sexually harassed her and that his aide, Mfon Patrick, defamed her character. As part of her reliefs, she is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, and associates from further defaming her or publishing injurious statements about her.
She is also praying the court to compel Akpabio’s aide to pay N100 billion in general damages and N300 million in litigation costs.
