Senate President Godswill Akpabio was noticeably absent from the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Jabi, on Tuesday, as proceedings commenced in a N10 billion defamation lawsuit filed against him by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The high-stakes case, which also lists Akpabio’s media aide, Patrick Mfon, as a co-defendant, is already drawing significant public attention due to its political weight and allegations of character assassination.
Presiding over the matter, Justice A. S. Kutigi noted that neither Akpabio nor any legal representative appeared on his behalf at the hearing. In contrast, Mfon, the third defendant in the suit (CV/754/25), was present through legal counsel. Lawyers for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan—Victor Giwa and Ogbogbo Olisemekelim—revealed that efforts had been made to serve Akpabio through his aide, Dayo Fadugba, but were unsuccessful. Justice Kutigi firmly stated that civil procedure rules require personal service on the Senate President and subsequently ordered that the originating court processes be served to him directly, without intermediaries.
At the heart of the defamation suit are controversial posts made by Patrick Mfon on social media, in which he allegedly accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of dressing “inappropriately” within the Senate chamber and portrayed her as resentful over her removal as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content. Mfon further implied that she had no legislative value to offer—statements Akpoti-Uduaghan decried as baseless, defamatory, deeply sexist, and deliberately harmful to both her reputation and her office as an elected public servant.
The court emphasized the gravity of the case, with Justice Kutigi asserting that serious allegations—especially those targeting public officials—must be handled through the proper legal channels, regardless of political rank or public office. He stressed the need for accountability and fairness under the rule of law.
The proceedings have now been adjourned until June 9, 2025, to allow for a report on the service of court papers and further hearings. As the case unfolds, it is poised to test not only the boundaries of public discourse and political criticism but also the commitment of Nigeria’s legal system to uphold justice in high-profile political disputes.
