A Kogi State High Court in Lokoja on Thursday awarded N1 billion in damages against the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for defaming the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
The court also issued a perpetual injunction, which bars the senator and her associates from making further defamatory statements against the former governor.
Former Governor Yahaya Bello originally filed the defamation suit against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Kogi State High Court in 2023. The defendant’s counsel, Johnson J. Usman, SAN, initially challenged the court’s jurisdiction. He argued that the suit was an abuse of court process because other related cases were pending against the senator in Abuja courts.
The claimant’s counsel, Friday Ekpa Esq, countered this argument. He maintained that none of the cases before the Federal Capital Territory High Court involved the person of Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
The High Court subsequently affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the suit. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed the ruling to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal, in appeal number CA/ABJ/CV/626/2024, dismissed the senator’s appeal for lacking merit. The appellate court’s decision finally cleared the path for the High Court to proceed with the substantive defamation case.
Justice A. S. Ibrahim delivered the final judgment in suit number HCL/16/2023. The court held that the claimant proved his case on the balance of probabilities. Justice Ibrahim resolved all issues for determination in the claimant’s favour. The judge’s ruling centred on an interview that the senator granted on November 4, 2022. The interview occurred on “The Morning Show,” a programme on Arise TV.
The court ruled that the interview was defamatory to the former governor, Yahaya Bello’s character and reputation. “The said interview of 4/11/2022 in which the defendant described the claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State was without justification,” the judge held. Based on these findings, the court awarded damages.
“The sum of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) only is awarded as damages against the defendant and in favour of the claimant,” the court ordered. The judge also issued an order of perpetual injunction. This order restrains Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, her agents, privies, or associates from making further defamatory statements against the former governor, Yahaya Bello, on any television or radio station.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan promptly rejected the court’s ruling. “I reject this judgment in its entirety,” the lawmaker said. She insisted that the court failed to properly evaluate the evidence her defence team presented. “We presented substantial and credible evidence before the court, which, in our view, clearly justified our position. Unfortunately, these were not given due consideration,” she stated.
Furthermore, the senator maintained that her comments were made in the public interest and not out of malice. “My statements were based on information available at the time and were made in good faith, in the interest of accountability to the people of Kogi State,” she argued. “I firmly believe that the truth was not adequately reflected in the court’s findings.” The senator also took to social media to declare that she would not pay the damages.
“Can you imagine him thinking I would pay so he can add to the stolen monies he would refund? Yeye… shi shi he no go see,” she wrote in a viral social media post. Ultimately, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan confirmed her intention to challenge the judgment. “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 concluded.
