Alleged defamation: Court to hear Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s preliminary objection

 Justice Chizoba Oji of an Abuja High Court connected Tuesday adjourned until Oct. 27  hearing successful a preliminary objection raised by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central District, is alleged to person defamed Senate President  Godswill Akpabio and erstwhile politician of Kogi , Yahaya Bello.

Justice Oji adjourned the substance pursuing objections raised by the legislator against the competence of the charge.

Ehighioge West-Idahosa, SAN counsel for Akpoti-Uduaghan, predicated the objections connected the alleged maltreatment of prosecutorial powers by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

He said filing complaint against her astatine the Federal High Court and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory connected the aforesaid taxable substance and aforesaid complaints, was an maltreatment of tribunal procedure

Earlier, David Kaswe, prosecution counsel, informed the tribunal of his readiness to unfastened the lawsuit against the defendant.

He claimed to person his archetypal witness, a SP  Abdulhafeez Garba successful tribunal to attest against the defendant.

He prayed for support of the tribunal to telephone the witnesser into the witnesser box.

This was however, objected to by West-Idahosa connected the grounds that his lawsuit has filed a question connected notice, challenging the competence of the charges and the jurisdiction of the court.

He added that the question has been served connected the Attorney General of the Federation AGF arsenic required by instrumentality but that the AGF had not responded.

Kaswe argued that helium ought to person been served personally oregon beryllium informed connected telephone connected the filing of the question and requested that Akpoti-Uduaghan‘s assertion beryllium rejected.

However, Justice Oji recovered successful the lawsuit record that the AGF bureau was served with the question but had not responded arsenic required by law.

At this point, Kaswe admitted that the AGF had been retired of the state and arsenic such, has not made the question disposable to him.

After listening to parties arguments Oji held that the due happening was to displacement proceedings to alteration AGF respond to the question successful the involvement of just hearing.

The Judge subsequently adjourned until Oct. 27 for Natasha’s question to beryllium heard alongside the effect of the AGF.

She was arraigned earlier connected a three-count transgression complaint bordering connected harmful imputations during a tv interview.

She nevertheless pleaded not guilty.

She was admitted to bail successful the sum of N50 cardinal and 1 surety successful the similar sum successful the complaint marked CR/297/25 filed connected May 15, 2025.

The justice added that the surety indispensable beryllium an proprietor of landed spot wrong the jurisdiction of the court.

The station Alleged defamation: Court to perceive Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s preliminary objection appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.