Akpabio’s wife sues Natasha Akpoti for alleged defamation, seeks N250bn damages

Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has filed multiple lawsuits against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi central, over alleged defamatory comments.

On Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan, in an interview on Arise TV, alleged that the senate president made sexual advances at her in his office and residence in Akwa Ibom.

The senate president’s wife had responded by saying her husband is a disciplined man, adding that the senator’s claims were “lies”.

In a fundamental rights suit filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court, Ekaette said the “scandalous and salacious” comments made by Akpoti-Uduaghan have caused her and her children “emotional and psychological abuse”.

Akpabio’s wife asked the court to restrain Akpoti-Uduaghan from making further “spiteful” statements that infringe on her fundamental human rights.

“AN ORDER awarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside,” the fundamental rights suit reads.

“Such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

Ekaette said the Kogi senator’s comments “damaged the reputation of the claimant and indeed her entire family, bringing them into disrepute and opprobrium”.

She asked the court to mandate Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an apology to her family and publish it in two national newspapers.

“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of ₦1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendant’s defamatory words on the Claimant’s family’s reputation,” a portion of the suit reads.

“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimant’s family.”

The senate president is yet to publicly comment on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations. Efforts by TheCable to get a comment from his media aides have proved futile.