The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has adjourned to December 1, 2025, the hearing of a preliminary objection filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her ongoing trial for alleged defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Justice Chizoba Oji fixed the new date after the prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that although the prosecution had filed its response to the objection, it had yet to properly serve the defence.
Kaswe told the court that “it would not be fair for the prosecution to insist that the matter proceed when the defence team has indicated its intention to respond to our counter.” He therefore requested a short adjournment to allow for proper service.
Okay News reports that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned before the court on June 19 on a three-count charge of harmful imputation, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
In the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/297/25, the lawmaker was accused of making statements alleged to have damaged the reputations of Akpabio and Bello. She was also said to have linked Akpabio to the death of the late Miss Iniobong Umoren.
The senator, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
At a previous sitting on September 23, the defence counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa (SAN), informed the court that a notice of preliminary objection had been filed, challenging what he described as an abuse of prosecutorial powers by the Attorney-General’s office.
West-Idahosa clarified that the objection was not against the content of the charges but questioned their validity, describing it as a “threshold jurisdictional matter.”
At Monday’s hearing, he confirmed that none of the defence counsel had received the prosecution’s response. “The prosecution’s counter was not served on any of the defendant’s lawyers. We intend to respond when we are properly served, as we have additional evidence to file,” he said.
He also requested a long adjournment, citing the defence team’s plans to attend the International Bar Association Conference in Canada.
After hearing both sides, Justice Oji granted the application and adjourned the matter to December 1, 2025, for hearing of the preliminary objection.
