Akpabio’s wife sues Natasha Akpoti, demands N250bn as damages over alleged defamation
Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has initiated multiple legal actions against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator for Kogi Central, over accusations of defamation.
These lawsuits come after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s remarks during a Friday interview on Arise TV, where she alleged that the Senate President had made sexual advances toward her both at his office and residence in Akwa Ibom.
In response to these claims, Ekaette Akpabio firmly rejected the allegations, asserting that her husband is a disciplined individual, and described the senator’s accusations as “lies.”
Seeking redress for what she described as “scandalous and salacious” comments, Ekaette filed a fundamental rights suit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. In the suit, she claimed that the accusations have caused her and her children “emotional and psychological abuse.” The court is being asked to issue a restraining order, preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further “spiteful” statements that infringe on Ekaette’s fundamental human rights.
The suit also demands the sum of N250 billion in exemplary, punitive, aggravated, and general damages, in addition to any other orders the court deems necessary. Ekaette contends that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s comments have severely damaged the reputation of herself and her family, bringing them into disrepute and causing harm to their public standing.
Furthermore, Ekaette has requested that the court order the senator to publicly apologize, with the apology to be published in two national newspapers. In her suit, she also seeks N1 billion in punitive and exemplary damages for the harm caused by the defamatory statements, as well as a perpetual injunction barring Akpoti-Uduaghan from making any further defamatory remarks against her family’s reputation.
As of now, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has not commented publicly on the allegations made by Akpoti-Uduaghan.
