By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has adjourned the hearing of a preliminary objection filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her ongoing defamation case involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.
Justice Chizoba Oji, the presiding judge, postponed the matter after the prosecution disclosed that although its response had been filed in court, it had yet to be served on the defence team.
Prosecuting counsel, David Kaswe, informed the court that the failure to serve the response was due to an error in the address used. He therefore sought a short adjournment to allow for proper service of the documents.
Kaswe said, “It would not be fair for the prosecution to insist that the matter proceed when the defence team has indicated its intention to respond to our counter. We are, therefore, asking for a short adjournment to enable us to effect proper service.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was arraigned on June 19 on a three-count charge of harmful imputation, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
In the charge marked FCT/HC/CR/297/25, she was accused of making damaging statements allegedly intended to tarnish the image of Senate President Akpabio by claiming that he conspired with former Governor Bello to kill her. She was also accused of making similar allegations against Bello and another against Akpabio, allegedly linking him to the death of Miss Iniobong Umoren.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.
At a previous sitting on September 23, her counsel, Ehighioge West-Idahosa, informed the court that the defence had filed a notice of preliminary objection, alleging that the Attorney-General’s office abused its prosecutorial powers.
He clarified that the objection did not challenge the merit of the case but rather its validity, describing it as a “threshold jurisdictional matter.” He added that the objection had been served on the AGF’s office on September 18, but no response had been received at the time.
During the latest proceedings, West-Idahosa confirmed that the prosecution’s response still had not been served on any of the defendant’s lawyers.
“The prosecution’s counter was not served on any of the defendant’s lawyers. We intend to respond when we are properly served, as we have additional evidence to file,” he said.
He also requested a long adjournment, noting that members of the defence team would be attending the International Bar Association Conference in Canada.
After hearing both sides, Justice Oji agreed to adjourn the matter to a later date for the hearing of the preliminary objection.