Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday morning for her second arraignment on charges of alleged defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. She was accompanied by her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, activist Aisha Yesufu, and several supporters.
Justice Mohammed Umar is presiding over the case, which follows a similar charge brought against Senator Natasha at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on June 19, 2025. At the previous hearing, the court rejected the Federal Government’s request to arrest the senator for failing to appear, ruling that she had not been properly served with the charge or hearing notice.
The defamation charges stem from statements Senator Natasha allegedly made during a live broadcast on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on April 3, 2025, where she accused Akpabio and Bello of plotting her assassination. The Federal Government, represented by the Attorney General’s office, claims these statements were made with the knowledge that they could harm the reputations of the two political figures.
Both Akpabio and Bello have been listed as witnesses in the case. The charge carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both, if convicted. The court proceedings continue as the senator faces the allegations in a high-profile case that has drawn significant public attention.
