The planned arraignment of suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was on Tuesday stalled due to the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
The industrial action, which commenced on Monday, led to the shutdown of courts across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Courts, where the arraignment was scheduled to take place on June 3, 2025.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing a criminal defamation charge filed by the Federal Government over remarks allegedly made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
According to the charge sheet marked CR/297/25, the senator is accused of making criminal imputations during a live television interview and a private phone conversation, which the government claims defamed both Akpabio and Bello.
A key allegation in the charge is based on her appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025, where she reportedly claimed that Akpabio and Bello had discussed plans to assassinate her.
Quoting her from the broadcast, the charge reads: “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night—to eliminate me… He then emphasised that I should be killed in Kogi.”
Additionally, the government alleged that in a private phone call with one Dr. Sandra Duru, Akpoti-Uduaghan linked Akpabio to the organ harvesting of the late Iniubong Umoren for the benefit of his ailing wife.
She is being charged under Sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code, which pertain to defamation and causing harm to reputation through criminal means.
Her legal counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria West Idahosa, had earlier confirmed that Akpoti-Uduaghan was prepared to appear in court in response to the summons.
“Our client is a law-abiding citizen. Why wouldn’t she be there? It’s a summons we have undertaken. Only disrespectful institutions that disregard court orders would fail to appear, and she is not in that category,” he stated.
No new date has been set for the arraignment, pending the resolution of the judiciary workers' strike.
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