Photo caption: Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 27, 2025, to deliver judgment in the suit filed by the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to challenge her suspension from the Senate following a face-off with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Justice Binta Nyako set the date after all parties adopted their written addresses at Tuesday’s proceedings.
The senator had approached the court seeking an order to restrain the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from investigating her following a dispute with the Senate President over seating arrangements in the chamber during plenary on February 20.
The tension escalated when the senator, while appearing on a television programme, accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan named the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Nedamwen Imasuen, as the first to fourth defendants, respectively.
On March 4, the court issued an interim order restraining the Senate from taking disciplinary action against her.
Nevertheless, on March 6, the Senate proceeded to suspend her for six months, citing a report from the ethics committee accusing her of gross misconduct—despite the matter being sub judice.
During earlier proceedings on April 4, Justice Nyako had directed all parties to refrain from media interviews or social media posts related to the case while it remained pending.
However, during Monday’s hearing, counsel for the 2nd and 3rd defendants (the Senate and Senate President) alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan had violated this order by sharing a Facebook post titled “Satirical Apology”, which they claimed amounted to contempt of court.
They argued that the post implied her suspension was linked to her refusal to accede to the Senate President’s alleged sexual advances, and cited a PUNCH newspaper publication to support their claim.
But Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team countered that the contempt allegation was baseless, insisting that the “Satirical Apology” had no bearing on the case before Justice Nyako, and that a separate sexual harassment matter was pending before a different judge.
“We maintain that the satirical post is unrelated to this suit,” said Michael Numa (SAN), lead counsel for Akpoti-Uduaghan. “Our client has already spent 68 days outside the National Assembly. We urge the court to expedite hearing and dismiss the contempt application.”
The 1st defendant’s counsel, Charles Yoiki—representing the Clerk of the Senate—argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case and urged that it be struck out.
“We filed a motion challenging the court’s jurisdiction and asking it to strike out the suit, especially the originating process,” Yoiki said.
Counsel for the 2nd defendant, Chikodiri Ojukwu (SAN), also urged the court to strike out the suit for lack of jurisdiction, submitting that all his processes were before the court for consideration.
Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), appearing for the Senate President, similarly called for the dismissal of the suit on jurisdictional grounds and argued that the substantive summons had been overtaken by events—namely, the senator’s suspension.
He also requested that the court order the withdrawal of the “Satirical Apology”, describing it as a violation of the court’s earlier directive.
Valentine Offia, counsel for the fourth defendant, Senator Imasuen, also adopted his processes.
Justice Nyako adjourned the matter to June 27 for judgment.
She noted that she would first deliver a ruling on the contempt application before addressing the preliminary objections.
The outcome of those objections, she added, would determine whether the court proceeds to rule on the substantive case.
