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Justice Chizoba Oji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, adjourned the hearing of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s preliminary objection until December 1, 2025, in her defamation case involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 19 on a three-count charge of harmful imputation filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The case, marked FCT/HC/CR/297/25, alleges that the senator made statements intended to damage the reputations of Akpabio and Bello, including claims of a conspiracy to harm her and linking Akpabio to the death of Miss Imoren Iniobong.
She has, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecuting counsel David Kaswe informed the court that although the prosecution had filed its response to the defendant’s preliminary objection, it was mistakenly served at an incorrect address.
He requested a short adjournment to properly serve the defence.
Lead defence counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), confirmed that his team had not received the prosecution’s response, adding that they intended to reply once properly served.
He also sought a longer adjournment, citing the defence team’s attendance at the upcoming International Bar Association Conference in Canada.
Justice Oji granted the request and adjourned the matter to December 1 for hearing.
At the last sitting on September 23, the defence had argued that the charges constituted an abuse of prosecutorial powers by the AGF’s office, describing the objection as a jurisdictional issue rather than a challenge to the charge’s substance.
