The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to immediately drop the criminal defamation charges filed against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing the legal action as a violation of her fundamental rights.
Naija News understands that the suspended senator representing Kogi Central is facing a three-count charge of alleged defamation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Reacting to Thursday’s arraignment of the senator at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, SERAP, in a strongly worded statement, described the case as a bogus attempt to silence dissent.
“Authorities must immediately drop the bogus criminal defamation charges against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and stop targeting citizens simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights,” the group stated.
The group noted that no individual should be targeted or charged for expressing their views, adding that the current legal action undermines the rule of law and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
SERAP further argued that the charges brought against Akpoti-Uduaghan contradict Section 39 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended) and Nigeria’s international obligations.
“Criminal defamation laws and lawsuits are inconsistent and incompatible with section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the statement read.
The organisation also called on the National Assembly to urgently decriminalise defamation, stressing that the continued existence of such laws is an affront to democratic principles.
The senator, who was suspended in March for six months by the Senate over alleged misconduct, had publicly accused Akpabio and Bello of attempting to assassinate her, an allegation she repeated during a live interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Following her court appearance, Justice Christopher Oba granted Akpoti-Uduaghan bail in the sum of ₦50 million, with one surety who must be a resident of Abuja Municipal Area Council and own a landed property within the jurisdiction.
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