Nigeria: Suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to appear in court tomorrow

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will appear in court on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, as summoned by the Federal Government. The senator is facing criminal charges over alleged defamatory statements made during a live television broadcast and a private telephone conversation, targeting Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly stated on Channels TV’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025, that Akpabio and Bello discussed plans to assassinate her, quoting her 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.”

She also allegedly claimed in a telephone conversation with Dr. Sandra Duru on March 27, 2025, that Akpabio was linked to organ harvesting involving the late Iniubong Umoren, purportedly for the benefit of his ailing wife.

Akpabio, Bello, and four others have been listed as key witnesses in the trial.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lead counsel, West Idahosa (SAN), has confirmed her readiness to appear in court, describing her as a law-abiding zen.

 Idahosa expressed uncertainty about whether the Federal Government plans to arraign her on Tuesday, citing a notice of amended charges and stating, “We don’t know what they are trying to do. They’ve amended the charges once and could do so again—it’s their decision.”

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called on the Federal Government to withdraw the charges, describing them as unconstitutional and a violation of Akpoti-Uduaghto freedom of expression.

Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili has also urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Attorney-General to withdraw the charges, accusing the administration of trying to silence Akpoti-Uduaghan for political gain.