Taiwo Popoola
Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed 27 June, 2025, to deliver judgment in a suit instituted against the National Assembly by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging her suspension by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition over alleged gross misconduct.
The Kogi Central Senator had instituted the suit against the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Nedamwen Imasuen.
After taking arguments for and against the suit, Nyako fixed the June 27 date for judgment in the matter.
In her remarks, the judge informed parties that on the judgment date, she would also deliver a ruling on the contempt applications brought against Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio.
Counsel for the Senate, Paul Daudu, SAN, had accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of acting in breach of an order of the court by posting a satirical apology on her Facebook page.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team also alleged that Akpabio did same with comments by Olisah Agbakogba and Monday Ubani (both senior lawyers), in his favour, during media appearances.
The actual order of 4th April by Justice Nyako stopped Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Imasuen from granting media interviews or making social media posts relating to the case while it remained pending before the court.
While adopting the documents that contain the closing arguments, counsel for Akpoti-Uduaghan, Michael Numan, urged the court to grant his client’s relief by reversing the Senate Committee’s decision. He also countered the allegations of contempt of court.
In their arguments, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, and the Chairman of, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions all challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.
They further urged the court to dismiss the case instituted by the suspended Kogi Central senator.
The dispute between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan started from a disagreement over seating arrangements during a Senate plenary session on February 20, 2025.
Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently made allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio during a programme on ARISE News.
She then approached the Federal High Court seeking an order stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from investigating her, an action that led to her six-month suspension, following the recommendation of the Senate Committee.
Justice Obiorah Egwuatu, who was initially assigned the suit, withdrew from presiding over the case after allegations by Akpabio’s camp.
