Natsha Akpoti-Uduaghan trial: Court adjourn mata sake of 'procedural issues' wit charges

Di trial of Nigeria female lawmaker senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, against Nigeria Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and former govnor of her state, Yahaya Bello, wey suppose start dis Monday, don dey adjourned.

Di mata dey bifor Justice Mohammed Umar of di Federal High Court for Abuja.

Senator Natasha wey dey represent Kogi central senatorial district for di National Assembly dey face Yahaya Bello and Akpabio ontop allegation of cybercrime.

Na di office of di Attorney General of di Federation (OAGF) and di Minister of Justice dey handle dis six-count criminal charges.

As di mata start, counsel to di Federal Govment David Kaswe tell di court say dem dey ready for di business of di day wey be commencement of trial, and dem wan call dia first witness.

However, counsel to Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, West Idahosa (SAN) tell di court say dem bin file preliminary objection to di mata and dem don serve di prosecution, say di charges against di defendant dey defective as dem notice some procedural issues.

Idahosa say di way di charges dey now, di defence no tink say di court get jurisdiction to entertain am as filed.

E also say di prosecution neva serve dem witness statement of di witness wey dem intend to call, in order to enable dem prepare for cross examination.

"For a high profile case like dis, we dey entitled to full disclosure of di witness statement, no be just witness summary," Idahosa tok.

Kaswe respond say im no dey aware of di preliminary objection and e just dey hear about am for court.

However, di court clerk show oga Kaswe proof say di defence team bin file di preliminary objection and serve same on di office of di Attorney General of di Federation.

Kaswe den explain say due to bureaucratic processes, e dey take time bifor files wey come to di office of di AGF get to dem. But e still urge di court to go ahead wit di trial as planned.

Justice Mohammed say once one party don file preliminary objection, notin suppose go on again wit di mata until di issue don dey dispensed wit.

Di trial judge ask di prosecution counsel to file dia response to di preliminary objection, and e den adjourn di mata till 20 October 2025 for hearing on di preliminary objection.

Di federal govment get a similar case against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for di FCT High Court, but dat one dem file am under di Penal Code Act while dis one for di Federal High Court na under di Cybercrime Act.

Di FCT High Court mata dey come up for hearing on Tuesday, 23 September 2025.

Since late February 2025 wen di crisis start between di female lawmaker and di Senate president Akpabio, na so court cases dey pile up between di two.

Part of di court cases bin start from Senator Natasha, di odas na either di Nigeria govment or Akpabio family start am.

For dis alleged defamation case between Natasha, Bello and Akpabio, part of di charges na say di female senator bin make false statement wey fit disturb public peace against di pesin of di Senate President and di former govnor.

Meanwhile for June 2025, Senator Natasha bin plead not guilty to three-count charge of defamation, wey di office of di Attorney General of di Federation sama her.

Dat three-count charge accuse Akpoti-Uduaghan say she make false claims say di President of di Nigeria Senate Akpabio, bin make plans wit di former govnor of Kogi State Bello, to kill her.

Di AGF say Akpoti-Uduaghan know say di claims na false but she make am to discredit Akpabio and Bello, and to tarnish dia image.

For dat court case, dem grant bail to Natasha for di sum of 50 million naira and one surety.

For di charge wey di office of di Attorney General of di Federation bin file sake of allegations of defamation against di Senate President and former govnor of Kogi State, dem go call some witnesses.

Di witnesses wey di FG say dem go call for dis mata include Akpabio, Bello and one senator identified as Asuquo Ekpenyong plus three oda pipo.

Meanwhile, for June 2025 Justice Idris Kutigi of di Federal High Court Abuja order di Senate President of Nigeria, Godswill Akpabio to appear bifor am, sake of one defamation case wey Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan bin file against am.

Dis na just one out of di series of court cases wey involve madam Akpoti-Uduaghan, di suspended lawmaker wey dey represent Kogi Central Senatorial District for di National Assembly.

How di mata start?

Na for February 2025 kasala bin hapun for di National Assembly for Nigeria.

Di kasala na between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Natasha.

Senator Akpabio bin give order to di Sergeant-at-Arms to carry Senator Natasha Uduaghan comot from di chamber.

Senator Natasha wey bin dey 'visibly frustrated' accuse Akpabio say im dey deliberately silence her voice and also deny her di opportunity to contribute to motions.

Natasha match leg for ground as she tok say she no go gree make dem push her go corner.

She add say di worst tin wey di former govnor of Akwa-Ibom State fit do na to suspend her.

Natasha bin tok say even though dem suspend her, she go kontinu to serve her pipo for Kogi Central and di women of Nigeria.

Natasha sama accuse for Akpabio head say im dey "discriminate against her, malign, and dehumanise her".