By Prosper Mene
The legal team of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has strongly condemned the Federal Government’s criminal charges against her, labeling it a case of “selective justice.” The team claims that while the government swiftly pursued a defamation lawsuit against the senator, it has ignored a dozen petitions she filed between March and May 2025, some implicating high-profile figures in serious allegations, including the abduction and attempted assassination of a protocol officer.
The Federal Government filed the suit on May 16, 2025, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, which addresses imputations intended to harm a person’s reputation. The charges comes from alleged defamatory remarks made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a live television appearance. Akpabio, in a petition dated April 3, 2025, to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, denied the senator’s claims, including an accusation that he instructed former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to assassinate her in Kogi State. Akpabio demanded her prosecution for criminal defamation and incitement.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, confirmed receiving the court notice on May 23, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja. The team expressed readiness to present “factual and statutory defenses” in court, vowing to counter the charges robustly. They argue that the government’s focus on prosecuting the senator while ignoring her petitions raises serious concerns about biased enforcement of justice.
“This selective response is troubling,” the legal team stated, citing that the senator’s petitions, which include allegations against Akpabio and Bello, have not been investigated. “While our client faces trial, those she accused of wrongdoing appear to receive preferential treatment,” the statement added. The team has called for impartial investigations into all pending petitions and urged the authorities to ensure justice is applied equally.
The lawsuit is part of a broader legal battle involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate and is also challenging her suspension in a separate case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, set for hearing on June 27, 2025. The senator previously won a privacy violation suit filed against her in 2024 by Ali Bello, the Kogi State governor’s chief of staff, though she faced judicial criticism for her social media conduct.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team’s protest has garnered public opinion, with many questioning the Federal Government’s priorities in addressing allegations involving prominent political figures.
The case continues to draw attention, with the senator’s lawyers demanding action on her unaddressed petitions and a fair judicial process.
