The suit filed by suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Senate has taken a dramatic turn as the Federal High Court in Abuja vacated its earlier order stopping her suspension by the Senate.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu overturned the ruling on Wednesday after considering arguments from both parties in the suit.
Persecondnews had reported that Akpoti-Uduaghan approached the court in an ex-parte motion seeking to stop the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, chaired by Sen. Neda Imasuem, from investigating allegations of misconduct against her.
The Kogi-born Senator named the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, its President, and the committee chairman as the first to fourth defendants, respectively, in the lawsuit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.
Following her application, Justice Egwuatu granted an interim injunction on March 4, temporarily halting any disciplinary action against her.
One of the orders stipulated that any decision taken against her while the case was pending would be deemed null and void.
Despite this, the Senate went ahead to suspend her for six months on March 6, citing misconduct during the February 20 plenary.
Akpoti-Uduaghan responded by filing a contempt charge, alleging the Senate flagrantly disregarded the court’s directive by suspending her.
The Senate, represented by its counsel, Mr. Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), pushed back against the court order, labeling it as “overly vague and an unwarranted intrusion into legislative matters.”
Ojukwu argued that enforcing the order would encroach upon the Senate’s constitutional authority, thereby violating the doctrine of separation of powers.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the Senate’s application, insisting that the defendants had deliberately disobeyed a valid court order.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu set aside the contentious order, effectively upholding the Senate’s actions.
He adjourned the case until March 25, for the hearing of all pending applications.
The disagreement between Akpabio and Natasha began on Thursday, February 20, after her seat was reassigned due to a reshuffle caused by opposition members defecting to the majority wing without prior information.
She declined to move to her newly assigned seat, sparking a heated debate.
Persecondnews had reported that the Senate, after reviewing the report of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Affairs regarding Natasha’s conduct, imposed a six-month suspension on her on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
The committee recommended that her salary and security details should be withdrawn during the six-month suspension period.
It was also recommended that she should not be seen anywhere around the National Assembly during the period.
The suspension, which a majority of senators voted to uphold, was announced by Akpabio himself at a plenary session.
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