The Federal Government has filed a five-count criminal charge of defamation against Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, accusing him of waging a sustained media smear campaign against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District.

The case, marked CR/547/2025, was filed before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, by Mohamed Babadoko Abubakar, Director of the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

According to the charge sheet dated 11 September 2025, Nwebonyi ? a 44-year-old lawmaker representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District and serving as Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate ? allegedly made a series of ?vile, false, and disparaging? remarks against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan across several television appearances and online platforms between 3 and 29 March 2025.

Prosecutors allege that Nwebonyi used major national television stations ? including Arise TV, Channels TV, TVC News, and News Central Television ? to make statements ?intended to harm and ridicule? Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and her husband, High Chief Emmanuel O. Uduaghan.

In what the Federal Government describes as a ?calculated campaign of defamation,? the senator reportedly branded Akpoti-Uduaghan ?a habitual accuser,? ?a woman who uses her gender as a weapon,? and ?a known blackmailer.?

He was also quoted as saying on live television that the Kogi senator was ?a mother of six from different men,? questioning her moral character ? remarks which the government argues were malicious, false, and capable of exposing her to public hatred, contempt, or ridicule.

The charge listed at least five broadcast appearances and one digital instance where Nwebonyi allegedly made such statements to include: Arise TV?s NewsDay on 3 March 2025; Channels TV?s Sunrise Daily on 6 March 2025; TVC News? Politics on Sunday on 9 March 2025; News Central Television on 26 March 2025; and Arise TMS Guests Forum WhatsApp group in March (unspecified date).

The prosecution asserted it will tender compelling evidence ? including broadcast footage and digital records ? to prove that the defendant knowingly embarked on a deliberate character-assassination campaign against a fellow senator.

In Count One, the charge sheet indicated that prosecutors alleged that during a live interview on Arise TV?s NewsDay on 3 March 2025, Senator Nwebonyi declared:

?This is a woman that accused Yahaya Bello and others of sexual harassment. Are you the only woman in Nigeria, Senator Natasha? What is wrong with you? This is madness. Nigerian women should rise against this.?

He further described her as ?a habitual accuser of men? and ?a mother of six from different men,? comments which, according to the prosecution, were made ?knowing or having reason to believe? they would harm her reputation.

Counts Two through Five outline similar alleged infractions on other television programmes within the same period, in violation of Sections 391 and 392 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the FCT.

If convicted, Senator Nwebonyi faces imprisonment, fines, or both, under Nigeria?s criminal defamation laws.

The case is projected to be one of the rare occasions where the Federal Government, rather than a private complainant, is initiating legal action for defamation ? a move that observers say could redefine the limits of free speech and political rhetoric in Nigeria.

A senior official at the Ministry of Justice, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the prosecution is ?a necessary step to protect the integrity of public discourse.?

?Freedom of expression cannot be a weapon of destruction,? the official said. ?This case is about drawing the line between robust debate and reputational assault.?

Legal analysts suggest that the trial could set a precedent for regulating inflammatory political speech, especially among public officials who use the media to target opponents.

?This is not just about two senators,? said one Abuja-based legal expert. ?It?s about whether political figures can defame others without consequence under the guise of free speech.?

The case has been filed at the FCT High Court and is expected to be assigned to a trial judge in the coming days. Senator Nwebonyi will be required to appear and enter his plea once hearing begins.

If found guilty, the Ebonyi lawmaker could become the first serving senator in Nigeria?s Fourth Republic to be convicted for criminal defamation.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has yet to make a public statement on the matter, was described by aides as ?calm and confident in the justice process.?

For a Senate often criticised for shielding its members from accountability, the case represents a defining test ? one that could determine whether political privilege remains above the rule of law. (The Guardian)

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