Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday secured a legal victory in a N1 billion privacy violation suit filed against her by Ali Bello, Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo and nephew of former Governor Yahaya Bello.
However, the judge harshly criticised her conduct on social media, describing it as “improper, reprehensible, and unconscionable.”
Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja ruled that Mr Bello failed to prove that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s March 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter) violated his right to privacy or personal dignity.
The post in question referenced a house located at No. 1 Dala Hills Street, off Agulu Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja, which the senator alleged was among 14 properties under interim forfeiture by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). She had cheekily requested the EFCC to help her recover a childhood storybook allegedly left in the house, while subtly alluding to its link to former Governor Yahaya Bello, widely known by the moniker “White Lion.”
Though Mr Bello was not directly named, he claimed the post referenced his property, falsely portrayed him as being involved in corrupt practices, and exposed his private address. He also accused the senator of petitioning the police and the State Security Service (SSS) to remove his security detail.
Citing violations of his rights to privacy, liberty, and property under Sections 34(1), 35(1), 37, 43, and 44(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, Bello demanded N1 billion in damages.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan denied all allegations. In her defence, she argued that the property mentioned was already the subject of EFCC forfeiture proceedings and did not breach any privacy since the address was publicly known. She also accused Mr Bello of installing surveillance cameras to monitor her property.
In his judgment, Justice Oriji held that no evidence was presented to show that the senator’s post infringed on Mr Bello’s constitutional rights.
“The applicant failed to prove that the respondent’s post breached his fundamental right to privacy or the privacy of his home,” the judge said.
He emphasised that the referenced property was not directly attributed to Mr Bello in the post and that the address is in a public space.
However, Justice Oriji did not spare the senator from criticism. While dismissing the N1 billion damages claim, he condemned her use of social media, stating:
“It is improper, reprehensible and unconscionable for a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to post the picture of the applicant’s house and its address on X without justification and on the unfounded belief that the property belonged to Yahaya Bello.”
The court therefore decried her action, even as it dismissed the privacy suit.
The court ruling is the latest twist in the long-standing political feud between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Bello political dynasty.
Their rivalry dates back to the 2019 Kogi governorship election, when Akpoti-Uduaghan, then of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ran against Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC). She later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and reclaimed the Kogi Central Senate seat in 2023 after a court battle.
Tensions between both camps have persisted. In March 2024, the Senate controversially suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over an unrelated clash with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Despite the suspension, she held a homecoming rally in Ihima, her hometown, in defiance of a ban by the Kogi State Government — a move that further heightened tensions.
Former Governor Yahaya Bello subsequently petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over allegedly defamatory remarks she made during the rally.
Beyond this suit, multiple legal battles surround both parties:
As legal and political tensions continue to rise, Tuesday’s court victory is a temporary reprieve for the embattled senator, but the larger war between her and the powerful Bello-Akpabio camps is far from over.
