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The Federal Government has maintained that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan must face the full weight of the law for allegedly violating provisions of the Penal Code, insisting that the charges against her were legally instituted and backed by due process.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice made this position clear in response to a preliminary objection filed by the lawmaker before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, presided over by Justice Chizoba Oji.
According to the AGF’s office, the three-count criminal charge against the Kogi Central senator was filed after a thorough police investigation into petitions from Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello, who accused the lawmaker of defamation and false accusations of attempted assassination.
“The charges were properly brought under the Penal Code of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in the lawful exercise of the prosecutorial powers vested in the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation by the Constitution,” the government said in its counter-affidavit.
It further argued that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions amounted to a criminal breach of the law, and the prosecution was undertaken “in the public interest, in the interest of justice, and to prevent the abuse of legal process.”
The AGF’s office dismissed claims that the charges were politically motivated, insisting that they stemmed from a comprehensive and conclusive police investigation into all complaints and statements made by both the complainants and the defendant.
Defence counsel Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), however, filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the AGF had exceeded its constitutional powers and that the prosecution represented an abuse of process. The defence contended that its challenge focused on the legality of the charges rather than the facts of the case.
At the most recent court session, prosecution counsel David Kaswe requested a short adjournment to ensure proper service of the government’s counter-affidavit on the defence team.
The court subsequently adjourned proceedings to December 1, 2025, for hearing on the preliminary objection.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was arraigned on June 19, 2025, pleaded not guilty to all three counts, which accuse her of making defamatory statements against Senator Akpabio and ex-Governor Bello, including allegations of conspiracy to assassinate her and involvement in the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren.
The court is expected to decide on the preliminary objection before proceeding to the substantive trial.
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