President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has directed his legal team to withdraw all pending defamation suits instituted by him against several individuals, describing the decision as a personal one inspired by counsel he received during a church service.
Akpabio, it was gathered, made the disclosure on Thursday at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during a New Year Mass.
According to him, he had instituted nearly nine defamation cases against individuals he accused of making false and damaging claims against his person.
“I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me and slandered my name,” he said. “But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was speaking directly to me. Consequently, I have directed my solicitor to withdraw all the lawsuits.”
In 2025, the Senate President filed several high-profile defamation suits, including one against a fellow lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Late in the year, Akpabio instituted a ₦200 billion defamation suit against Akpoti-Uduaghan following allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him, which he denied and challenged her to substantiate in court.
Earlier, Akpabio’s wife had also filed separate defamation actions against the Kogi Central senator, alleging that certain claims attributed to her had damaged the family’s reputation.
Relations between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan deteriorated after the senator accused the Senate President of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had similarly approached the courts to challenge actions taken against her, including filing a ₦100 billion defamation suit against Akpabio and others over statements she said were injurious to her reputation.
With Thursday’s announcement, the Senate President has effectively brought to an end all pending defamation-related litigations arising from the disputes.