Senator files N100.3bn lawsuit against Godswill Akpabio

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a federal lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has filed a N100.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio in the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

Akpoti-Uduaghan claims that Akpabio defamed her through a damaging post shared on his official Facebook page.

The post, allegedly published by Akpabio’s aide, carried the headline “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT?”

The lawmaker asserts that the publication made derogatory remarks about her, suggesting that she believed being a lawmaker was merely about “pancaking her face” and “wearing transparent outfits” to Senate sessions.

In addition to Akpabio, the lawsuit also names Mr. Mfon Patrick, a Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, as a defendant.

The legal action, which is marked as suit CV/737/25, seeks to address the damage caused to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reputation.

The Kogi lawmaker contends that the post severely tarnished her image, portraying her in a negative light and diminishing her standing both among her fellow lawmakers and the public.

She further argues that the post was not only defamatory but also provocative and disparaging.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, represented by a legal team led by Mr. Victor Giwa, is requesting that the court order the immediate retraction of the post and a public apology from the defendants. The apology, according to the claim, must be published in a widely circulated national newspaper.

Other reliefs, include: “A declaration that the words ‘it is a bottled anger by the Kogi Lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers,’ used and written by the 3rd defendant at the prompting of the 1st and 2nd defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the Claimant by members of the public.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns or associates, from further publishing or caused to be published the said defamatory words herein stated or any other similar publications about the Claimant on the social media platform or in any other manner, which is capable of defaming the Claimant.”

In addition to her demands for the retraction and apology, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking N100 billion in general damages and an additional N300 million to cover legal expenses.

At present, the court has yet to set a date for hearing the case.

This legal action comes on the heels of a recent confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio over a controversial seat change in the Senate.

The lawmaker had strongly objected to the unauthorized alteration of her seat, which she believed was linked to the defection of opposition lawmakers to the ruling party.

The dispute escalated when Akpabio ordered the Senate’s Aide-de-camp to escort Akpoti-Uduaghan out of the chamber, a move that sparked widespread public debate across Nigeria.

Two teachers sentenced to 44 years jail term for r*p* of Students

An Ekiti High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, sentenced two teachers to 44 years imprisonment for offence of rape without an option of fine.

The Prosecution, Mr Kunle-Shina Adeyemi told the court that the defendants, Gbenga Ajibola (43) and Olaofe Ayodele (52) were arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on March 2, 2022 on a three count charge bordering on rape and abuse of office.

He said that the defendants sometimes in Nov, 2019 in Ado-Ekiti raped two female students of 17 and 15 years respectively names withheld.

According to him, the offence contravened Section 31(2) of the Childs Right Law, Cap. C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

In her testimony before the Court, one of the victims said that one of the convicts, Ajibola was her Computer teacher, and always disturbing her while in class.

“On this fateful day, he told me to be in mufti and gave me N200 to go and wait for him in front of a filling station along Bank Road.

“He later came there alongside Mr Olaofe, but before they came, one of my classmates also met me there, he told me that Mr Olaofe asked her to wait here for him.

“When they came, we all left for a hotel, around Oke-Ila area of Ado Ekiti, on getting there, we were taken to different rooms where Mr Ajibola had sexual intercourse with me.

“After that day, he continued to disturb me, when I could no more bear it, I narrated what happened to my mother who later took the matter up,” she narrated.

To prove his case, the prosecutor called four witnesses and tendered statements of the victims and defendants, medical reports, as well as report of the Panel of enquiry among others as exhibits.

Also, Counsel to the defendants, Mr Lawrence Fasanmi called six witnesses to prove his case.

In his judgement, Justice Familoni said, the defendants shared their minds and mulled the voice of conscience as they took advantage of the victims with reckless abandonment.

“They deserved severe panel sanction for their misdeeds to serve as a warning and deterrent to others who may want to follow their footsteps,”.

Justice Familoni thereby sentenced the defendants, Ajibola Gbenga and Olaofe Ayodele to 20 years imprisonment each without an option of fine on count one and two years each on count two without option of fine, making 44 years imprisonment, saying that it should run concurrently. (NAN)

Multichoice announces price increase for GOtv, DStv subscription packages

A leading pay-TV operator, Multichoice Nigeria, has announced another round of price increases across its subscription plans for both DStv and GOtv services. The new prices will come into effect on March 1, 2025.

In a notice sent to customers on Monday, the company outlined the upcoming changes, which will see significant price hikes across various packages.

The DStv Compact bouquet will rise from N15,700 to N19,000, reflecting a 25% increase. The DStv Compact Plus package will see a 20% jump, from N25,000 to N30,000.

The highest-tier DStv Premium package will also experience a 20% hike, increasing from N37,000 to N44,500.

For GOtv users, price adjustments are equally notable. The Jinja package will increase from N3,600 to N3,900, while the Jolli package will rise from N4,850 to N5,800.

The GOtv Max package will go up from N7,200 to N8,500, and the GOtv Supa package will climb from N9,600 to N11,400. The GOtv Supa Plus package will now cost N16,800, up from the previous N15,700.

The official notice from Multichoice, titled “Price Adjustments for DStv and GOtv Packages,” explained that the new prices were necessary to maintain the delivery of high-quality content and service.

The company noted that the adjustments were essential to ensure the continued provision of both local and international content through advanced technology.

“Dear Customer, please note that effective 1 March 2025, there will be a price adjustment on all DStv packages. This is to enable us to continue to offer our customers world-class home-grown and international content, delivered through the best technology,” the statement read.

This price increase follows a similar one implemented in May 2024, with Multichoice citing inflationary pressures, rising operational costs, and currency depreciation as the key reasons for the hikes.

The company pointed out the challenges posed by the significant drop in the naira’s value and the growing expenses tied to inflation in the country.