Contrary to the defendant’s claim, she is not damaging the image of women in politics but encouraging them to pursue leadership and good governance boldly.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed a N5 billion defamation lawsuit against her colleague, Sen. Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, over allegations that she had six children with different men.
In a suit filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by her legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), M. J. Numa, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the claims made by Nwaebonyi as false, malicious, and aimed at damaging her reputation.
The suit alleges that Sen. Nwaebonyi, who represents Ebonyi North and serves as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, made the statements during a live interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on March 6, 2025. During the broadcast, he allegedly referred to Akpoti-Uduaghan as a “gold digger,” a “habitual liar,” and a “habitual blackmailer.”
The claimant further stated that Nwaebonyi accused her of having six children from different men and claimed her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, married her under duress. According to her, these statements were not only false but were widely disseminated through national television and amplified across online and social media platforms, causing significant damage to her image and public standing.
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the statements were crafted to portray her as someone who extorts, manipulates, and deceives others for personal gain. She also argued that Nwaebonyi’s comments were intended to undermine her credibility and justify her suspension from the Senate.
The suit noted that Nwaebonyi, a member of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, allegedly made the comments to prejudice public opinion against her and discredit her petition before the Senate.
She is asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant and his associates from further publishing or disseminating defamatory remarks about her. She also wants the court to compel Nwaebonyi to publicly retract his statements and issue an unreserved apology in at least two widely circulated national newspapers, both in print and online, within seven days of the court’s judgment.
In addition, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking N5 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages for the emotional distress, reputational harm, and embarrassment caused by the defamatory statements. She is also requesting post-judgment interest on the award at a rate of 10 percent per annum until full payment is made.
She further described the allegations about her personal life as “reckless and baseless,” emphasising her role as a role model for women in politics.
“The claimant is an inspiration to women in politics and aspiring female leaders for speaking truth to power,” her legal team stated. “Contrary to the defendant’s claim, she is not damaging the image of women in politics but encouraging them to pursue leadership and good governance boldly.”
As of the time of this report, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.