Mathew Amaechi
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team launched a scathing critique of Nigeria’s justice system today, accusing federal authorities of “disturbing selective justice” for pursuing criminal charges against the senator while ignoring a dozen serious petitions she filed against powerful political figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
In a strongly worded statement released by her counsel, Uju Nwoduwu, the team detailed a pattern of neglect surrounding 12 formal petitions submitted by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan between March and May 2025. These petitions reportedly contain grave allegations, including cyberstalking, defamation, credible threats to life, and an alleged assassination attempt targeting the senator and her staff. Shockingly, the legal team asserts that none have been meaningfully investigated by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) or relevant security agencies.
The core of the legal team’s accusation hinges on a stark contrast in governmental response. While Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petitions languish, counter-allegations filed by individuals she accused—specifically naming Senate President Akpabio and former Governor Bello—have been rapidly processed, culminating in the current federal criminal charges against her.
“This glaring disparity raises serious concerns about a biased and uneven application of justice,” the statement declared. “There is a legitimate public expectation that law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies uphold the principles of fairness, due process, and equal justice—regardless of who is involved.”
The legal team emphasized the severity of the ignored petitions, noting they implicate high-ranking officials and involve incidents as serious as the abduction and attempted assassination of a protocol officer attached to the senator. Specific petitions referenced include:
An April 4, 2025 petition exposing an alleged assassination plot implicating Akpabio and Bello.
An April 28, 2025 petition detailing the criminal conspiracy, abduction, and attempted assassination of her protocol officer, Hon. Jude Sule.
Multiple petitions concerning cyberstalking and defamation by political opponents.
Despite the outcry over the federal charges, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, currently abroad on personal engagements, has acknowledged receipt of the official charges. Her legal team confirmed she remains resolute in her commitment to due process and will return to Nigeria to present herself for arraignment once a date is set.
The legal team’s statement frames the situation as a fundamental test for Nigeria’s rule of law. The rapid pursuit of charges against the senator versus the complete inertia on her own complaints targeting powerful individuals presents, they argue, undeniable evidence of a two-tiered justice system.
“The ongoing refusal to investigate Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petitions undermines public confidence in due process,” the statement asserted.
The team extended gratitude to members of the public who have voiced concern over what they termed “an extraordinarily questionable criminal charge” and expressed hope that “injustices against her shall not be sustained.”
The statement concluded with a renewed and urgent appeal for impartial investigations into all the senator’s outstanding petitions. It demanded justice be applied “equally, without fear or favour,” emphasizing that true due process requires scrutiny of allegations from all parties, regardless of political stature.
