The former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State and wife of the Senate President, Unoma Ekaette Akpabio, has slapped Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan with a 250 billion naira twin lawsuits over defamatory claims against her husband.
The twin lawsuits, which contain the case of alleged defamation of the Senate President and the violation of fundamental human rights, were filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
Unoma Ekaette reportedly swung into action following the disturbing revelation made by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan yesterday during an Arise TV interview. Therein, Natasha claimed that the President of the Senate made some advances, insinuating a potential amorous affair between them, a proposition she declined hitherto.
Mrs. Akpabio filed a case of violation of fundamental human rights (Suit No: CV/814/25) in the first suit, where she mentioned that Natasha’s slanderous statements concerning her husband have inadvertently led to emotional trauma and fear for the lives of her and her children. To that effect, Akpabio demanded that the Honourable Court declare the statement a violation of her right to dignity under the Nigerian Constitution as well as the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights.
In her words:
“The allegations have caused untold pain and emotional trauma to me and my family.”
Unoma Ekaette Akpabio has also asked the court to compel Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender a public apology to be published in two of the nation’s leading newspapers: This Day Newspaper and The Guardian Newspaper.
Mrs. Akpabio pleads with the court on the following:
โA DECLARATION that the allegations made by the Respondent on the floor of the Senate on the 20th of February 2025 and subsequent scandalous and salacious allegations on Arise News TV by the Respondent, constitute a flagrant violation of the fundamental rights of the Applicant guaranteed under Section 34(1) (A) of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), Article 4 & 5 of The African Charter on Human And Peoples Rights (Ratification And Enforcement Act) Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Section 14 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015.
โAN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent from making further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives.
โAN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Respondent, whether by themselves, their agents, privies, or whosoever from further inciteful, scandalous, and spiteful statements that have caused the Applicant and her children emotional and psychological abuse and living under constant threat and fear of their lives or in any other manner infringing on their fundamental rights.
โAN ORDER awarding the sum of N250,000,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Billion Naira only) as exemplary, punitive, aggravated and general damages against the Respondent for her infringement of the fundamental rights of the Applicant alongside such further or other Orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.โ
In the other suit which happened to be a defamation lawsuit (Suit No: CV/816/25), Mrs. Unoma pleads with the honourable court to make:
“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT mandating the Defendant to issue a formal written retraction of the defamatory words and tender an unconditional apology to the Claimant and her family, to be published in 2 (two) nationally-read newspapers to wit: The Guardian and This Day Newspapers.
โAN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT compelling the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira only) as punitive and exemplary damages for the ruinous effect of the Defendantโs defamatory words on the Claimantโs familyโs reputation.
โAN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant from further uttering any defamatory words or causing to be uttered or spread, any defamatory words against the reputation of the Claimantโs family.โ
Speaking further on the counter lawsuit, Unoma Ekaette Akpabio said the court is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the suits.
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