The office of the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio, has strongly refuted claims by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that a multi-billion-naira defamation lawsuit against her was recently filed. The office labeled her assertions as false and misleading.
Clarification on the Timeline of the Legal Action
In a statement released on 6 December 2025 by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, the Senate President's team insisted that the suit was initiated more than three months ago, not recently as suggested by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. Udom stated that the legal action was a direct response to what he described as "grave and unsubstantiated accusations" made by the senator from Kogi Central, which allegedly posed a severe threat to Akpabio's reputation.
Udom explained that the progression of the case encountered expected administrative and judicial delays, which are standard in legal proceedings. He emphasized that these delays were not an indication of a recent filing.
Allegations of Evading Service and Substituted Service
The statement provided further details on the legal process, alleging that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan deliberately evaded service of the court documents. According to Udom, a court bailiff made several unsuccessful attempts to personally serve her with the originating processes.
This claim, he noted, is supported by an affidavit sworn to by the bailiff. Consequently, the court granted an application for substituted service in November, allowing the legal process to move forward through alternative means.
"The claim that the matter was 'just filed' is therefore false," the statement categorically declared.
Criticism of Social Media Strategy and Call for Court Response
Jackson Udom criticized Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan's approach, describing it as a reliance on "orchestrated narratives and staged outrage on social media." He stressed that legitimate legal disputes are resolved in the courtroom, not through online platforms.
He also linked her current actions to a pattern of "digital agitation" observed during her six-month suspension from the Senate, a penalty which she fully served. The statement shifted focus to the next legal steps, asserting that the onus is now on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to file her defence and present any evidence she claims to possess before the court.
"The law is guided by proof, procedure, and due process, not sentiment, emotion, or social-media theatrics," Udom stated. "This is her opportunity to provide the evidence she has repeatedly referenced."
The statement concluded by noting that the public, the media, and the legal community are now awaiting her formal response to the defamation claim, moving the contention from social media feeds back to the judicial arena.
