Senator Natasha, billionaire husband, Uduaghan arrive Court

Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and her billionaire husband, Emmanuel, have arrived the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja for formal arraignment on Thursday, 18th June.

Others on her entourage in solidarity with her are the former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and activist, Aisha Yesufu.

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She would be arraigned today by the Federal Government over allegation that the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio and the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello plotted to assassinate her outside Abuja amid controversy over her suspension from the Senate for six months.

Earlier, the female lawmaker in the 10th Senate had accused the Senate President over sexual harassment. The allegation has since been in the public domain with trails of argument for and against Natasha.

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The FGN in a three-count charge marked CR/297/25, alleged that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was listed as the sole defendant, made the false and defamatory remarks when she appeared as a guest on live television.

The lawmaker who is currently serving her six months suspension from the Senate is a defendant in the allegation as the FGN reasonably believed that she fabricated to tarnish the image of her targetsa.

She was expected to be arraigned in line with the provision of Section 391 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990 as the offence is punishable under section 392 of the same law.
As she is being charged and arraigned by the State, ex-governor Yahaya Adoza Bello and Godswill Akpabio are to be witnesses in the matter.

Other witnesses billed to testify in the case are two police officers who investigated the matter, Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba; a Senator, Asuquo Ekpenyong and one Sandra Duru.

The charge, dated May 16, came on the heels of a letter Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, wherein she accused police of exhibiting bias in the investigation of her petitions against the Senate President.

It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had fixed June 27 to determine the legality or otherwise of the six-month suspension that was slammed on the defendant by the Senate.

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