Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the National Assembly, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to dismiss the charge filed against her by the federal government, arguing that the charge is an abuse of the court process.
The Federal Government is prosecuting the Senator representing Kogi West over an allegation that she made a false claim that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, plotted to ass@ssinate her. The Federal Government, in the six-count charge marked CR/297/25, alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was listed as the sole defendant, made the false and defamatory remarks when she appeared as a guest on live television. It specifically accused the lawmaker of making “imputation, knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
According to the charge, by making such false imputation that tarnished the image of others, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan committed an offence under 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. It added that the alleged offence is punishable under section 392 of the same law.
However in a fresh application, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, in her objection, prayed for an order dismissing or striking out this charge on the grounds of abuse of prosecutorial power by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, for an abuse of legal process and for being incompetent. She said the six-count charge filed before the court by the Complainant exceeds the constitutional mandate of the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and thereby w/tra vires the provisions of Section 174(3) of the Constitution.
She said that by virtue of Section 174(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, in the exercise of his powers as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, shall have regard to public interest, the interest of justice, and the need to prevent abuse of legal process.
“By virtue of the above provision, the AGF is only mandated to exercise prosecutorial powers in line with public interest and the interest of justice and to prevent abuse of the legal process.
The six-count charge filed on 22nd May, 2025, was not initiated in the public interest, but to serve the private interests of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio and former Governor Yanaya Bello, using public resources to protect their reputations.
The petitions and circumstances culminating in these charges, as contained in the information before the court, are personal and political rivalry between the Defendant and these two individuals, offering no benefit to the General Nigerian public.
The six count charge was not filed in the interest of defence of the country, public safety, public order, public morality or public health, but out of enmity towards the defendant.
The alleged threat to reputation purportedly made by the Defendant contained in the charge under reference was directed at the individuals personally and not in their respective official capacities.” her application read