By Andrew Haruna – Abuja
Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed a N5.1 billion defamation suit against Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi over alleged defamatory statements made during media appearances.
The suit, marked CV/1359/25, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Judicial Division, on April 7, 2025. Through her legal team led by Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking redress for statements made by Nwaebonyi during a March 6, 2025 appearance on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, where he allegedly described her as a “gold digger,” “habitual liar,” and “habitual blackmailer.”
According to the claimant, the remarks were “false, malicious, and defamatory,” causing significant emotional distress and reputational damage. She further contended that the statements were calculated to diminish her standing in the eyes of the public, noting that they do not qualify as protected speech under the right to freedom of expression.
The embattled senator also referenced additional alleged defamatory comments made by Nwaebonyi on Arise News TV and YouTube platforms, where he reportedly accused her of being “a mother of six from different men,” and claimed that her current marriage was the product of “blackmail and duress.” He was also quoted saying she previously accused Reno Omokri of sexual harassment “while he was in the U.S. attending to national issues.”
Among her prayers before the court are:
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Multiple declarations that the statements made by Nwaebonyi were defamatory, false, malicious, and have severely injured her character and reputation both nationally and internationally;
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An order of perpetual injunction restraining Nwaebonyi and his associates from further making or publishing defamatory remarks;
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A retraction and public apology to be published in at least two national dailies, both in print and online;
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Damages totaling ₦5 billion for reputational harm and emotional trauma;
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Post-judgment interest of 10% per annum until the judgment sum is fully paid;
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Legal costs amounting to ₦100 million.
Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that Nwaebonyi’s comments were not only baseless but also aimed at tarnishing her public image and undermining her political trajectory. The case is expected to test the bounds of public commentary by political figures and could have far-reaching implications for political discourse in Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, Senator Nwaebonyi has not issued a public response to the suit.