Akpoti-Uduaghan Appeals N1bn Defamation Judgment

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has rejected a ₦1 billion damages award against her in a defamation suit filed by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello, citing her right to defend herself against terrorism allegations.

Reacting to the judgement in a statement by her media office in Abuja yesterday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “I reject this judgment in its entirety. We presented substantial and credible evidence before the court, which in our view clearly justified our position. Unfortunately, these were not given due consideration.”

“I firmly believe that the truth was not adequately reflected in the court’s findings. 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,” she added.

The Kogi State High Court in Lokoja had ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s comments on Arise Television’s “The Morning Show” on November 4, 2022 were defamatory, and awarded ₦1 billion in damages to Bello.

The judgment was delivered by Justice A. S. Ibrahim in suit number HCL/16/2023.

During the broadcast, Akpoti-Uduaghan made allegations against Bello which the court subsequently ruled to be defamatory.

In his decision, Justice Ibrahim held that the statements made by the defendant were injurious to the claimant’s character and reputation and were not justified by the evidence presented before the court.

But the senator said her comments on Arise Television were a response to Bello’s accusations, adding “If there is anybody to be accused of terrorism, it should be Yahaya Bello and not me. My comments were rooted in the experiences of our people and the need to speak truth to power.”

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said the court failed to properly evaluate her evidence, adding that her statements were made in the public interest and not out of malice.