Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, appeared on Thursday before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja to face criminal charges of alleged defamation against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
The lawmaker was arraigned by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) on a three-count charge related to harmful statements she allegedly made during a televised interview. According to the prosecution, her comments were capable of damaging the reputations of the two prominent political figures.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who arrived in court accompanied by her husband and a number of supporters, pleaded not guilty when the charges were formally read to her. Following her plea, the Federal Government’s legal representative, David Kaswe, urged the presiding judge, Justice Chizoba Orji, to order her remand in prison custody pending the determination of the case.
However, her lead counsel, Professor Roland Otaru (SAN), objected and applied for bail on her behalf. Otaru told the court that the application was ready for hearing, as the prosecution had already been served. He urged the court to grant bail, arguing that his client posed no flight risk and had no intention of interfering with investigations or witnesses.
He also stressed that under the Constitution, Akpoti-Uduaghan is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 favor the granting of bail in cases of this nature.
In response, the government counsel opposed the application, claiming that serving the senator with the court documents had been difficult, suggesting a likelihood that she could evade trial.
Ruling on the application, Justice Orji rejected the prosecution’s arguments. She held that the charges did not involve capital offences and reminded the court that the senator, under the law, remains innocent unless proven otherwise. Consequently, she granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N50 million, with one surety in the same amount. The surety, the judge ruled, must own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court also fixed September 23, 2025, as the date for the commencement of the trial. The matter is listed under charge number CR/297/25, filed on May 15, 2025.
In the charge sheet, the senator is accused in the first count of falsely alleging that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor Yahaya Bello conspired to assassinate her, a claim the prosecution argues was intended to injure their reputations. The second count concerns a similar claim targeting Yahaya Bello. In count three, she is accused of making a statement associating Akpabio with the death of one Miss Iniobong Umoren, knowing that such a claim would harm his reputation.”
