Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan plead not guilty to defaming Akpabio, Bello as court grant her N50 million bail
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan wey be di lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District for di National Assembly don plead not guilty to di three-count charge of defamation, wey di office of di Attorney General of di Federation sama her.
Di lawmaker bin appear bifor Justice Chizoba Orji of di Federal Capital Territory High Court for di Maitama area of Abuja on Thursday.
Dis three-count charge accuse Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of making false claims say di President of di Nigeria Senate, Godswill Akpabio, bin make plans wit di former Govnor of Kogi State, Yahyah Bello, to kill her.
Di AGF say Akpoti-Uduaghan know say di claims na false but she make am to discredit Akpabio and Bello, and to tarnish dia image.
As di matter come up for court, di court registrar read out di charges to di lawmaker and she plead not guilty to each of dem.
Afta dat, counsel to di Federal Goment, David Kaswe, ask di court to remand di defendant in prison pending wen di trial go commence.
Kaswe claim say im reason be say dem wey be di prosecution bin find am very difficult bifor dem fit serve di defendant wit di charges.
However, di defence counsel Roland Otaru, ask di trial judge to use her discretion and grant im client bail based on di fact say she no be flight risk, she no go fit interfere wit police investigation or wit di witnesses for di case, and di law presume her innocent until proven guilty.
Afta listening to di arguments, Justice Orji agree wit di defence counsel and say she go grant di defendant bail in di sum of 50 million naira and one surety.
Di surety must to get landed property within di jurisdiction of di court, and e must be a pesin of integrity.
She den adjourn di matter to September 23, 2025 for di trial to start.
Some popular rights activists bin follow Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan come court to show am solidarity. Dem include former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili, Aisha Yesufu and others.
Emmanuel Uduaghan, di husband of di embattled lawmaker also follow her come court on Thursday.
BBC Pidgin bin don report say dis na di fourth court case wey involve Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan since late March dis year wen she get public quarrel against di Senate President
Dis particular three-count charge na majorly about libel, two counts against Akpabio and one count against Yahaya Bello.
According to di charges, Akpoti-Uduaghan allege for interview say Akpabio and Yahaya Bello bin meet for a hotel on March 14, 2025, wia dem emphasis say dem go kill her, but e no go be for Abuja rather e go be for her state Kogi.
"Dat na one of di reason why I bin no go home on time. I bin delay to go home bicos I get to put some measures on ground," di charge sheet quote Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Also, di senator allege, according to di charge sheet, say Akpabio and Yahaya Bello bin hold three discussions day. "Di first one na my recall, di second one na to eliminate me, and di third one na to put somebody wey go take di ticket from me if I wan contest for 2027."
According to di AGF, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan know or she get reason to believe say "dis imputations go harm di reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of di 10th senate of di Federal Republic of Nigeria", and di reputation of Yahaya Adoza Bello, former Govnor of Kogi State.
Di third allegation for di charge sheet na during a two-way phone interview wey Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan allegedly do with one Sandra Duru for Abuja, wia di senator bin claim say Akpabio bin use di internal organs of one girl wey her name na Umoren Iniubong, for im wife who bin dey sick for three years.
Akpabio, Bello, and one oda Senator - Asuquo Ekpenyong - na some of di witnesses wey di AGF say dem go call for di matter.
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