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By Andrew Haruna – Abuja
Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed a N5.1 billion defamation go well with in opposition to Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi over alleged defamatory statements made throughout media appearances.
The go well with, marked CV/1359/25, was filed on the Excessive Courtroom of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Judicial Division, on April 7, 2025. By means of her authorized crew led by Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN, Akpoti-Uduaghan is looking for redress for statements made by Nwaebonyi throughout a March 6, 2025 look on Channels TV’s Dawn Day by day, the place he allegedly described her as a “gold digger,” “routine liar,” and “routine blackmailer.”
Based on the claimant, the remarks have been “false, malicious, and defamatory,” inflicting important emotional misery and reputational injury. She additional contended that the statements have been calculated to decrease her standing within the eyes of the general public, noting that they don’t qualify as protected speech below the proper to freedom of expression.
The embattled senator additionally referenced extra alleged defamatory feedback made by Nwaebonyi on Come up Information TV and YouTube platforms, the place he reportedly accused her of being “a mom of six from totally different males,” and claimed that her present marriage was the product of “blackmail and duress.” He was additionally quoted saying she beforehand accused Reno Omokri of sexual harassment “whereas he was within the U.S. attending to nationwide points.”
Amongst her prayers earlier than the courtroom are:
A number of declarations that the statements made by Nwaebonyi have been defamatory, false, malicious, and have severely injured her character and popularity each nationally and internationally;
An order of perpetual injunction restraining Nwaebonyi and his associates from additional making or publishing defamatory remarks;
A retraction and public apology to be printed in not less than two nationwide dailies, each in print and on-line;
Damages totaling ₦5 billion for reputational hurt and emotional trauma;
Publish-judgment curiosity of 10% every year till the judgment sum is totally paid;
Authorized prices amounting to ₦100 million.
Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that Nwaebonyi’s feedback weren’t solely baseless but additionally aimed toward tarnishing her public picture and undermining her political trajectory. The case is predicted to check the bounds of public commentary by political figures and will have far-reaching implications for political discourse in Nigeria.
As of the time of submitting this report, Senator Nwaebonyi has not issued a public response to the go well with.
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