Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to appear in court Tuesday

The suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will reportedly appear in court on Tuesday, as summoned.

According to, her lead lawyer, West Idahosa (SAN), confirmed this on Sunday.

However, Idahosa said he was not sure whether the Federal Government planned to formally charge her on Tuesday. He explained that regardless of the government’s plans, Akpoti-Uduaghan would follow the court’s orders because she respects the law.

The Federal Government has filed criminal charges against the suspended senator through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar. The charges accuse her of making defamatory statements during a live television broadcast and a private phone conversation.

These statements reportedly targeted Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

The charges were filed on May 16, 2025, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court. The case is marked CR/297/25.

According to the charge sheet, Akpoti-Uduaghan is accused of making a statement during her appearance on Politics Today on Channels TV on April 3, 2025. During the show, she allegedly claimed that Akpabio and Bello discussed plans to kill her.

“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,” the charge quotes her as saying.

The government also accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory remarks during a phone conversation on March 27, 2025.

In that conversation with a woman named Dr Sandra Duru, Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly claimed that Akpabio was connected to organ harvesting involving the late Iniubong Umoren. She reportedly said this was done for the benefit of Akpabio’s sick wife.

Akpabio, Bello, and four other people have been listed as key witnesses in the trial.

Idahosa said his legal team was ready to defend Akpoti-Uduaghan in court.

“If the case is called tomorrow, we will respond accordingly with our client.

“The issue of protest is irrelevant to us — we are lawyers, and our focus is on defending charges we believe can be contested. Protests are the domain of civil societies and others in that terrain,” Idahosa said.

He added that his client respects the law and will definitely appear in court.

“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.”

When asked about the possibility of arraignment, Idahosa expressed uncertainty about the government’s next steps.