ABUJA (CONVERSEER) – The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sitting in Maitama has granted bail to the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in the sum of N50 million.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Chizoba Orji, who dismissed the Federal Government’s request to have the embattled lawmaker remanded in prison custody pending trial.
Justice Orji held that there was sufficient evidence showing that Akpoti-Uduaghan was ready to face trial, and therefore found no justification to deny her bail.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered her to produce one surety who must be a person of integrity and owner of a landed property within Abuja. The judge cited Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and Sections 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, in support of the ruling.
The matter was adjourned until 23rd September for the commencement of trial.
The Federal Government is prosecuting Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on a three-count charge bordering on alleged defamation and false claims made against prominent political figures.
The charge, marked CR/297/25, accused her of falsely alleging during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on 3rd April, that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, were involved in a plot to assassinate her.
According to the prosecution, the allegations constituted criminal defamation, contrary to Section 391 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 392. The government contended that the senator made the imputation with knowledge, or reason to believe, that it would damage the reputation of those named.
The charge followed a petition by Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in which she alleged police bias in the investigation of her complaints against the Senate President.
Among the witnesses listed to testify in the matter are Senate President Godswill Akpabio and ex-Governor Yahaya Bello, who are named as nominal complainants. Other witnesses include two police investigators—Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba—Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and Sandra Duru.
The development comes amid an ongoing legal battle between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Nigerian Senate, which suspended her for six months over alleged misconduct during plenary on 20th February.
She had accused the Senate President of attempting to silence her after she protested a change in her sitting position and repeatedly sought recognition through a point of order.
Following her suspension, the senator approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the legality of the disciplinary action. In an ex-parte application, she asked the court to declare the Senate’s decision null and void, alleging that her ordeal began after she rejected advances from the Senate President.
The court is expected to rule on the legality of her suspension on 27th June.
