Nigeria’s Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his legal team to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits filed in his name, saying he was deeply moved by a sermon delivered during a New Year Mass.
Akpabio made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He revealed that he had instituted nearly nine defamation cases against individuals he accused of lying and making damaging allegations against him.
According to him, the message delivered by the priest during the service prompted a moment of personal reflection. “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name,” Akpabio said. “But as I listened to the priest, I suddenly realised he was talking directly to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”
In 2025, the former Akwa Ibom State governor filed several high-profile defamation suits, including cases involving his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. One of the suits was a ₦200 billion claim over allegations of sexual harassment, which Akpabio denied and insisted should be proven in court.
Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife had also instituted separate defamation actions against Akpoti-Uduaghan, alleging that certain claims had tarnished the family’s reputation. The legal disputes followed a breakdown in relations between the two lawmakers after Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025.
The senator had, in response, faced counter-litigation, including a ₦100 billion defamation suit filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan over statements she said damaged her reputation.
With Thursday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally withdrawn all pending defamation-related cases, bringing an end to the widely publicised legal battles as the new year begins.
