Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, has rejected a Lokojs High Court ruling that ordered her to pay N1 billion in damages to Yahaya Bello over alleged defamation.
The court, in a judgment delivered on Thursday by Justice A.S. Ibrahim, held that Natasha Akpoti’s remarks about Yahaya Bello were defamatory.
The case, marked as HCL/16/2023, stemmed from statements she made during a live appearance on Arise Television on November 4, 2022, while reacting to accusations previously made against her by the former governor.
In its decision, the court ruled that her comments, where she described Bello as a “murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts, and a terror to the people of Kogi State”, were not only damaging but also lacked justification.
The judge resolved all key issues in favour of Bello and awarded him N1 billion in damages.
The court also issued a permanent order barring the senator, as well as anyone acting on her behalf, from making further defamatory statements against Bello on broadcast platforms, including television and radio.
Reacting to the ruling, Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that her statements were made in response to what she described as serious allegations of terrorism levelled against her by Bello.
She said her appearance on national television was intended to clear her name and address those claims publicly.
“I went on national television to debunk the allegations made against me,” she said.
“I was accused of terrorism, and I had every right to defend myself before the Nigerian public.
“If there is anybody to be accused of terrorism, it should be Yahaya Bello and not me.”
The senator further argued that the court did not properly assess the evidence she presented in her defence.
She expressed outright disagreement with the judgment, stating that her legal team had provided sufficient material to support her position.
“I reject this judgment in totality,” she said.
“We presented enough evidence before the court to justify our position, but it is clear that these were not properly evaluated.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan also pointed to the security challenges recorded in Kogi during Bello’s time in office, claiming that several communities, particularly in Kogi Central, suffered violent attacks that left many families grieving.
“There were numerous killings in Kogi state, especially in Kogi central, while he was governor,” she said.
“Many families have continued to cry daily over the loss of their loved ones. These are real issues that cannot be ignored.”
She stressed that her comments were based on the lived experiences of people in the state and were meant to highlight issues affecting them, not to defame.
“My comments were rooted in the experiences of our people and the need to speak truth to power,” she added.
“This matter does not end here. We will seek redress at the court of appeal to ensure that justice prevails.”
ALSO READ: FG Arraigns Natasha Akpoti For Alleged Defamation Against Akpabio And Yahaya Bello
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