By Abdul Lauya
The Federal Government has filed a three-count criminal charge against suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, igniting yet another political firestorm in the already tense Kogi Central landscape.
The charges, lodged at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on May 16, 2025, stem from her controversial statements during a televised interview alleging a plot to assassinate her.
At the heart of the suit marked CR/297/25 lies the claim that Akpoti acted with intent to defame, a violation of Section 391 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 392.
In a legal twist laced with political undertones, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello are listed as key prosecution witnesses, a move analysts say may deepen existing political rifts.
Akpoti, a fierce critic of her state’s political establishment, has often accused high-profile figures of orchestrating threats to her safety and political ambition.
Observers view the charges not only as a legal battle but as a proxy war for control and influence within Kogi’s volatile political theater.
The case brings to the fore a growing trend of defamation charges being wielded as political tools, particularly against vocal female politicians.
Critics argue the prosecution smacks of selective justice, as similar statements by other politicians often go unpunished.
For Akpoti, this may be her most significant legal battle yet—one that could define her political career or bring it to a dramatic halt.
Her supporters say the trial is an attempt to silence a rising voice in the Senate, while detractors see it as overdue accountability.
