The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, has granted bail to suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in the sum of N50 million. The ruling was delivered by Justice Chizoba Orji, who dismissed the Federal Government’s request to remand the lawmaker in prison custody pending trial.

Justice Orji ruled that the court found no compelling reason to deny the defendant bail, citing evidence that she is prepared to face trial. In addition to the bail sum, the court ordered that she must provide one surety—an individual of proven integrity who owns landed property within Abuja.

The court based its decision on Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Sections 163 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. The trial was adjourned until September 23.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is being prosecuted by the Federal Government on a three-count charge related to allegedly false and defamatory statements made during a live television interview on April 3. She had claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello were involved in a plot to assassinate her.

The charge, marked CR/297/25, accuses the senator of knowingly making imputations intended to harm reputations, thereby violating Section 391 of the Penal Code, which is punishable under Section 392.

Among the prosecution witnesses are Senate President Akpabio, former Governor Bello, two investigating police officers—Maya Iliya and Abdulhafiz Garba—Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and Sandra Duru.

The charge followed a petition by Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in which she accused the police of bias in handling her complaint against the Senate President.

In a related matter, the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled June 27 to rule on the legality of the senator’s six-month suspension by the Senate. Her suspension followed a heated exchange with the Senate President during plenary on February 20, after she protested the change of her seating position and insisted on raising a point of order despite being overruled.

Subsequently, her case was referred to the Senate’s Ethics Committee. In a February 28 television interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that her problems in the Senate began after she rejected personal advances from Akpabio.

Through an ex-parte application, she has asked the court to declare any actions taken by the Senate Committee during the pendency of her suit, including her suspension, as null and void.