Natasha: Police Should Not Be Asked To Criminalize Civil Dispute ‘Politically Motivated’ – Falana Tells Akpabio

Senior Advocate of Nigeria cum human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has opposed the petition filed by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, against the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over alleged assination plot.

Naija News reports that in the petition, Akpabio alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan falsely accused him of plotting her assassination. The Senate President described the claim as a “heinous lie” and accused the senator of spreading falsehoods to damage his reputation and incite unrest.

The petition, filed on April 3, was addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and copied to the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

The allegations stemmed from comments made by Akpoti-Uduaghan on April 1 during her visit to Kogi State.

However, in a statement on Friday, April 11, 2025, Falana opposed the petition Akpabio submitted to the IGP, saying the Senate President should sue Natasha and not involve the police in “a clearly a politically motivated civil dispute.”

He said, “In the said petition, Senator Akpabio stated that the alleged defamatory statement is ‘entirely false, unfounded and politically motivated.’ To that extent, the Nigeria Police Force should not be asked to criminalise a civil dispute that is ‘politically motivated.

“In the case of Arthur Nwankwo v The State (1985) 5 NCLR 228 at 253, the Court of Appeal cautioned public officers to desist from using the machinery of the State to harass or intimidate their political opponents.”

“In particular, Olajide Olatawura JCA (as he then was and of blessed memory) held as follows: ‘Let us not diminish from the freedom gained from our colonial masters by resorting to laws enacted by them to suit their purpose. The decision of the founding fathers of this present Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, which must include freedom to criticise, should be praised, and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided by the Constitution must be resisted.

“‘Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism. Where a writer exceeds the bounds, there should be a resort to the law of libel where the plaintiff must of necessity put his character and reputation in issue.’

“In view of the above epochal words of the Court of Appeal, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio should be advised to institute a libel suit in the appropriate High Court if he feels defamed by the statement credited to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at a political rally.”