Falana tells Akpabio about the alleged defamation: Sue Natasha, don't call the police

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has advised Senate President Godswill Akpabio to sue Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a suspended Kogi Central Senator, for alleged defamation. Following Akpabio's petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, regarding remarks made by Akpoti-Uduaghan at a rally in Kogi State on April 1, 2025, the lawyer made these remarks in a statement on Friday. 

According to PUNCH Online, Akpabio had submitted a formal petition to the chief of police, asking for an investigation into an alleged plot by Akpoti-Uduaghan to kill him. Akpabio filed a petition on April 3, 2025, in which he denied the serious accusation and demanded that Akpoti-Uduaghan be prosecuted for criminal defamation. However, Falana called on Akpabio not to involve the police in “a clearly a politically motivated civil dispute.”

 He stated, "Senator Akpabio stated in the aforementioned petition that the alleged defamatory statement is completely false, unfounded, and politically motivated." To that extent, the Nigeria Police Force should not be asked to criminalise a civil dispute that is ‘politically motivated.

 “In the case of Arthur Nwankwo v The State (1985) 5 NCLR 228 at 253, the Court of Appeal cautioned public officers to desist from using the machinery of the State to harass or intimidate their political opponents.”

 “In particular, Olajide Olatawura JCA as he was known at the time and of blessed memory at the time held the following position: "Let us not diminish the freedom gained from our colonial masters by reverting to laws enacted by them to suit their purpose. The decision of the founding fathers of this present Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, which must include freedom to criticise, should be praised, and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided by the Constitution must be resisted.

 “‘Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism.  When a writer goes above and beyond, the law of libel should be used, and the plaintiff must unavoidably put his character and reputation in jeopardy. "The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio should be advised, in view of the above epochal words of the Court of Appeal, to institute a libel suit in the appropriate High Court if he feels defamed by the statement credited to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at a political rally."