By Henry Umoru & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA– Senator Nata-sha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has instituted a N100.3billion defamation suit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, FCT, Abuja.

This came on a day the Senate began a probe of the senator for engaging in verbal exchange with the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, over sitting arrangement at plenary last Thursday.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central senatorial district, alleged that the Senate president tarnished her image through a defamatory post published on his social media platform, Facebook.

According to the claimant, the Senate President had in the post that was published by his aide, titled “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT,” maligned her.

She told the court that the said social media post claimed that she thought that being a lawmaker was all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Senate chambers.

Aside from Akpabio who was sued in his personal capacity, those also cited as defendants in the suit marked: CV/737/25, are the Senate, one Mfon Patrick, who was identified as a senior legislative aide to the Senate president.

The lawmaker from Kogi State insisted that the post published against her by the Senate president and his aide was not only defamatory, provocative and disparaging, but also greatly lowered her dignity in the eyes of her colleagues and right-thinking members of the public.

Consequently, in the suit she filed through a team of lawyers, led by Mr. Victor Giwa, Senate Akpoti-Uduaghan, among other things, prayed the court to issue an order compelling the defendants to withdraw the said defamatory words and publication made against her immediately and tender an apology to her in writing.

She said the apology must be published in a national daily that is widely circulated within the jurisdiction of the court.

Other reliefs she sought include: “A declaration that the words ‘it is a bottled anger by the Kogi lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers,’ used and written by the 3rd defendant at the prompting of the 1st and 2nd defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the Claimant by members of the public.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns or associates, from further publishing or caused to be published the said defamatory words herein stated or any other similar publications about the Claimant on the social media platform or in any other manner, which is capable of defaming the Claimant.”

More so, she prayed the court to order the defendants to pay her the sum of N100billion as general damages, as well as another N300million to cover the cost of the litigation.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.

It will be recalled that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan recently had a faceoff with the Senate President over alleged unauthorised change of her seating position in the Senate.

Her spirited attempt to protest the change which was said to have been caused by defection of opposition lawmakers to the ruling party, led the Senate President to order the Aide-de-camp to march her out of the legislative chamber, an action that elicited varied reactions from Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the Senate has begun a probe of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for engaging in verbal exchange with the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, over sitting arrangment at plenary last Thursday.

It pushed the matter yesterday to the Committee on Ethics, Codenof Conduct and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imasuen, LP, Edo South.

The Red chamber also passed a vote of confidence in the Senate president, saying he was only protecting the institution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Akpabio mandated the committee to carry out a holistic investigation into the matter and report back in two weeks.

Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to its consideration and adoption of a report presented by the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, APC, Ekiti South, on news publications and reports on the incident.

In his presentation, Adaramodu, informed the Senate that the uproar which trailed the incident at plenary last Thursday, had done grave damage to the image of the Senate.

Relying on Order 1(b), Adaramodu cited an interview she had with the host of Brekete Family on Human Rights Radio and TV, Ordinary Ahmad Isah, wherein she further levelled allegations against the Senate president, decrying the distorted reportage of what transpired and urged the Senate to act on it.

In their contributions, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central; Minority Leader, Abba Moro, PDP, Ondo South; and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, APC, Ondo South, among others, lamented the conduct displayed by Akpoti-Uduaghan on the faithful day and recommended that the matter be referred to its appropriate organ for further investigation.

Senator Bamidele, who particularly reminded his colleagues that there was a standing committee which addressed issues, such as the one raised by the House spokesman.

He, therefore, urged them to refer the matter to the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions for further legislative action.

His position was carried by Akpabio who emphasised the importance of adhering to Senate rules, adding that he had observed that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan has not studied her rule book and was, therefore, unfamiliar with parliamentary procedures.

He said: “I was a member of the 8th Senate, today I’m a member of the 10th Senate, I believe strongly that it’s only God that knows who will be a member of the 11th, 12th Senate but the institution remains. ”As I’m talking now, Senator Fatai Buhari knows that the rule does not allow a senator to sit anywhere, but if you need to make contribution, you must go back to your seats and this is part of maintenance of order by the presiding officer.”

Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned plenary till next week to enable the senators engage in a three-day retreat designed to have a holistic look at the Tax Reform Bills.