Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is scheduled to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday, following a summons issued over allegations of defamation.
According to The PUNCH, her lead counsel, West Idahosa (SAN), confirmed the development on Sunday.
However, he expressed uncertainty regarding whether the Federal Government would proceed with her formal arraignment.
“The matter is in court and our client will be present. As a law-abiding citizen, she will comply with the court’s directives,” Idahosa said in a phone interview. “We have undertaken to honour the court’s summons. Only institutions that show disregard for the rule of law would refuse to appear.”
The Federal Government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar, filed charges against Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of making damaging claims about Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
According to the charge marked CR/297/25 and filed on May 16, 2025, the alleged defamatory statements were made during a televised interview on Politics Today aired on Channels TV on April 3, 2025, and in a private conversation on March 27, 2025.
In the TV interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan is quoted as saying: “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night— to eliminate me… he then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi.”
Further claims attributed to her in the March 27 conversation with Dr. Sandra Duru include allegations that Akpabio was connected to the organ harvesting of late job seeker Iniubong Umoren, allegedly for his ailing wife.
The Federal Government has listed Akpabio, Bello, and four others as key witnesses in the case.
Commenting on the legal team’s preparedness, Idahosa said, “If the case is called tomorrow, we will respond accordingly with our client. Our role is to defend the charges, and that’s exactly what we intend to do.”
He also confirmed that the legal team has seen amended charges filed by the prosecution but remains unsure about what the government intends to pursue.
“They’ve amended the charges before and may do so again. That’s their prerogative,” he added.