Defamation Charges: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Accuses FG of Selective Justice

Senator battles six-count criminal defamation suit, says case is politically motivated

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has accused the Federal Government of double standards over criminal defamation charges filed against her, describing the case as politically motivated and unconstitutional.

The Attorney-General of the Federation filed a six-count charge against Akpoti, citing statements she allegedly made on April 3, 2025, during a Channels TV programme and public gatherings. She reportedly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello of plotting her assassination and withdrawing her security.

Akpoti’s legal team argues that defamation is strictly a civil matter and that criminal prosecution violates constitutional norms. They also claim the AGF lacks the authority to institute the case, branding it a misuse of Nigeria’s justice system.

The Federal Government’s attempt to secure an arrest warrant was rejected by the court, which ruled she had not been properly served. Her lawyers, led by Senior Advocates Roland Otaru, Ehiogie West-Idahosa, J.J. Usman, and M.J. Numa, are urging the court to dismiss the case at the preliminary stage.

The senator insists the swift response to Akpabio’s complaint, compared to the neglect of her petition against alleged threats to her life, exposes a pattern of selective justice aimed at silencing opposition voices.

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