Senate President Godswill Akpabio has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all defamation lawsuits he instituted against several individuals, including Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing personal reflection prompted by a New Year sermon delivered during Mass in Uyo on Wednesday.
Speaking at Sacred Heart Parish, Uyo, Akpabio disclosed that he had filed nearly nine defamation cases in court over statements he considered slanderous, but said the message of the priest led him to reconsider his approach.
“I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name,” Akpabio said. “But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
Background to the lawsuits
The Senate President had, throughout 2025, pursued a series of high-profile defamation actions, most notably against fellow lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In late 2025, Akpabio filed a ₦200 billion defamation suit against Akpoti-Uduaghan following her public allegations of sexual harassment, claims he denied and insisted should be proven in court. Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also initiated separate defamation proceedings over statements she said damaged the family’s reputation.
Relations between both senators deteriorated sharply after Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, an action she linked to her public allegations. She subsequently challenged aspects of the dispute in court, including a ₦100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over remarks she said harmed her reputation.
With Wednesday’s announcement, Akpabio has effectively brought all pending defamation-related litigation involving him to an end, signalling a rare public reset after months of acrimonious legal and political confrontation.
The decision, announced at the start of the new year and framed in moral and religious terms, is likely to ease tensions within the Senate and dampen a dispute that had become one of the most closely watched political controversies of 2025.
