Natasha Akpoti Urges Court to Strike Out Akpabio’s Motion Challenging Her Satirical Apology
Suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has fired back at Senate President Godswill Akpabio in a heated legal battle, asking a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a motion compelling her to delete a controversial social media post.
Akpabio’s legal team, led by prominent lawyer Kehinde Ogunwumiju, filed the motion on Monday, urging the court to order Akpoti-Uduaghan to erase what they describe as a satirical apology directed at the Senate President. They are also demanding that she publish a formal apology in at least two national newspapers and submit an affidavit proving compliance.
But Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her counsel, Jubril Okutepa, insists the motion is a veiled attempt to muzzle her. In a counter-affidavit, she argued that her post did not breach any court-imposed gag order and accused Akpabio’s team of using the legal system to suppress her voice.
“The instant motion is borne of malice and intended to harass, intimidate, and scandalise me for exercising my constitutionally guaranteed right to fair hearing and to free expression,” the document stated.
The legal standoff is the latest twist in an escalating political drama between the two senators, which began with a confrontation on the Senate floor over seating arrangements. Tensions reached a boiling point in March when Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Akpabio of sexual harassment—a claim that preceded her suspension from the red chamber.
The court is expected to rule on both the motion and the counter-affidavit on May 12, a decision that could set a precedent for the boundaries of political speech and satire on social media in Nigeria.
