Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has awarded N1 billion in damages against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in a defamation suit filed by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. Justice A. S. Ibrahim, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in suit number HCL/16/2023, held that the senator's televised interview on Arise TV's "The Morning Show" on November 4, 2022, contained defamatory statements that damaged the reputation of the former governor. The court found that the claims made during the programme, where Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly labelled Bello a "murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State," were without justification and injurious to his character.
In the certified true copy of the judgment made available on Friday, the court held that based on the preponderance of evidence or balance of probabilities, judgment was entered in favour of the claimant. "The interview granted by the defendant on 4/11/2022 on Arise TV programme of 'The Morning Show' is defamatory to the claimant's character and reputation," the judge ruled. "The said interview of 4/11/2022 in which the defendant described the claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State was without justification."
The court also issued a perpetual injunction restraining Akpoti-Uduaghan, her agents, privies, or associates from making further defamatory statements against Yahaya Bello on television, radio, or other media platforms. Delivering the final order, Justice Ibrahim declared, "The sum of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) only is awarded as damages against the defendant and in favour of the claimant."
The defamation suit was originally filed by Yahaya Bello in 2023. During the trial, the senator's counsel, Johnson J. Usman, SAN, challenged the jurisdiction of the Kogi State High Court, arguing that the suit constituted an abuse of court process and that similar cases were already pending before courts in Abuja. However, Bello's counsel, Friday Ekpa, countered that none of the cases before the Federal Capital Territory High Court involved the person of Alhaji Yahaya Bello. The High Court subsequently affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the matter, a ruling that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed. The Court of Appeal, in appeal number CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit and upheld the Kogi State High Court's jurisdiction.
Reacting to the judgment, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan rejected the ruling and declared her intention to appeal. In a statement issued by her media aide, Mike Idoko, the senator insisted that the court failed to properly evaluate the evidence she presented. "I reject this judgment in its entirety. We presented substantial and credible evidence before the court, which, in our view, clearly justified our position," she said. She maintained that her comments were made in the public interest and not out of malice. "My statements were based on information available at the time and were made in good faith, in the interest of accountability to the people of Kogi State," she stated. "I firmly believe that the truth was not adequately reflected in the court's findings." She confirmed that her legal team has commenced the process of filing an appeal, adding, "We are heading to the Court of Appeal. This is not the end of the matter. We will pursue all lawful avenues to ensure that justice is served."
The landmark ruling marks a significant development in the long-running political and legal battle between two prominent figures from Kogi State. The case has drawn attention to the legal boundaries of political speech and media commentary in Nigeria, particularly regarding allegations made against public figures. With the senator heading to the Court of Appeal, the legal dispute is set to continue, further testing the intersection of free expression, political accountability, and defamation law in the country.
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