A High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has ordered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay ₦1 billion in damages to former governor Yahaya Bello in a defamation case.
The ruling, delivered by Justice A. S. Ibrahim, followed comments made by the senator during a live appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television in November 2022.
The court held that the statements, which included serious allegations against Bello, were harmful to his reputation and were not supported by sufficient evidence.
In addition to awarding damages, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining Akpoti-Uduaghan and her associates from making further defamatory remarks against Bello across any media platform.
Reacting to the judgment, the senator rejected the verdict, arguing that the court did not properly consider the evidence presented in her defence. She maintained that her statements were made in good faith and in the public interest.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also confirmed that she has begun the process of appealing the decision, stating that her legal team will challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The judgment marks a new chapter in the ongoing legal and political dispute between both figures, with the case now set to continue at the appellate level.
- Punchng