In a high-stakes legal showdown drawing national attention, Justice Chizoba Orji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday granted ₦50 million bail to embattled Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of alleged defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
The female senator was arraigned by the Federal Government over comments she made during a television interview and a private phone conversation—allegations which prosecutors say were deliberately aimed at damaging reputations.
The courtroom was under tight security as supporters thronged the venue. Among those in attendance were her husband, former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, renowned activist Aisha Yesufu, and several political allies who came in solidarity.
During the hearing, prosecution counsel David Kaswe urged the court to deny bail and remand the senator in prison custody, claiming the government had faced “great difficulties” in serving her the charge. But defence lawyer Roland Otaru swiftly countered, arguing that the bail application had matured and should be considered.
Otaru told the court that the senator was not a flight risk, had cooperated with investigations, and was constitutionally presumed innocent. He also emphasized that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act supports granting bail in such non-capital cases.
Justice Orji ruled in favour of the defence, noting that the offense was not capital in nature and that presumption of innocence remained intact. She granted bail in the sum of ₦50 million with one surety—who must own landed property within the FCT and be a responsible resident. Trial has been adjourned to September 23, 2025.
The charges stem from explosive claims made by the senator in which she alleged a deadly conspiracy involving the Senate President and former Kogi governor. According to the prosecution, Natasha claimed that Akpabio and Bello had plotted her assassination.
“It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night to eliminate me,” she was quoted as saying. “Let’s ask the Senate President, why did he withdraw my security, if not to make me vulnerable to attacks?”
She also reportedly told one Sandra Duru during a phone call on March 27, 2025, that Akpabio emphasized she “should be killed, but should be killed in Kogi.”
The government insists that her words violate Sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code Law, which criminalize imputations made with intent to harm reputations.
The prosecution has lined up both Akpabio and Bello as witnesses for the trial—setting the stage for a politically charged courtroom battle between a bold female lawmaker and two of Nigeria’s most powerful political figures.
As the case unfolds, it promises to test the boundaries of free speech, power, and political accountability in Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
