Justice Chizoba Oji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday, fixed December 1, 2025, for the hearing of a preliminary objection raised by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her ongoing trial for alleged defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Naijaonpoint reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, was on June 19 arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on harmful imputation, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.
In the charge, marked FCT/HC/CR/297/25, the senator was accused of making statements she allegedly knew would harm the reputation of the Senate President and the former Kogi governor.
The prosecution alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely claimed that Akpabio and Bello plotted to kill her and further linked Akpabio to the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren.
She, however, pleaded not guilty to all counts when she was first arraigned.
At Monday’s proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that although the prosecution had filed its counter to the senator’s preliminary objection, the response was mistakenly served at the wrong address.
Kaswe requested a short adjournment to enable the prosecution to properly serve the defendant’s legal team.
“It will not be fair for the prosecution to insist that the matter goes on as the defence team has indicated that they will respond to our counter.
In the circumstance, we are asking for a short adjournment to enable us to effect proper service on the defence,” Kaswe told the court.
Responding, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), lead counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, confirmed that the prosecution’s response had not been served on any member of the defence team.
“The prosecution’s counter was not served on any of the defendant’s lawyers. As defendant, we have not been served.
We intend to respond when we are properly served, as we have additional evidence to file,” the senior advocate said.
West-Idahosa also urged the court to grant a longer adjournment, noting that members of the defence team would attend the International Bar Association’s annual meeting in Canada.
After listening to both parties, Justice Oji adjourned the matter to December 1, 2025, for the hearing of the preliminary objection.
At the previous sitting on September 23, West-Idahosa had informed the court that the defence had filed the objection on grounds that the Office of the Attorney-General had abused its prosecutorial powers in filing the case.
According to him, the objection challenges not the elements of the charge but its validity and jurisdictional basis.
“This is a threshold jurisdictional matter,” he told the court, adding that the objection had been served on the AGF’s office since September 18, but no response had been received at the time.
Naijaonpoint reports that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal troubles stem from allegations she made linking Akpabio and Bello to a plot to harm her and to the death of Miss Imoren Iniobong.
The Office of the AGF consequently filed a criminal charge accusing her of defamation and injurious falsehood.
The case has drawn national attention, given the political profiles of the individuals involved and the constitutional issues surrounding the AGF’s prosecutorial discretion.
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