Appeal Court Rules Against Akpabio in Natasha Suspension Dispute

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out two interlocutory motions filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio in the case involving the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.

According to a report by Vanguard, the court delivered its ruling on May 21 and ordered Akpabio to pay N100,000 in costs to the respondents.

In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel led by Justice Hamman Barka, the appellate court struck out the motions after they were voluntarily withdrawn by the appellant.

The motions, dated March 3 and March 25, 2025, were marked CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025, respectively. Akpabio had approached the appellate court seeking several reliefs, including an extension of time to appeal against a Federal High Court judgment that favored Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Specifically, Akpabio prayed the court for:

“An order enlarging the time within which the Appellant/Applicant may seek leave to appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025… delivered on March 10, 2025, on grounds of mixed law and fact,”

“An order granting leave to the Appellant/Applicant to appeal…,” and

“An order staying further proceeding in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025… pending the hearing and determination of the Appellant/Applicant’s appeal.”

The appeal listed Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuen  Chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions  as respondents.

However, upon withdrawal, the Court struck out the motions and imposed a cost of N100,000 against the Appellant in favor of the respondents.

This legal move follows the earlier suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate, a matter that has drawn significant public interest and controversy. The lawmaker had challenged her six-month suspension before the Federal High Court.

Justice Binta Nyako, who inherited the case from Justice Obiora Egwuatu after the latter recused himself over alleged bias claims made by Akpabio, has scheduled June 27 to rule on the legality of the suspension.

The tension began during a Senate plenary on February 20, when Akpoti-Uduaghan raised a point of order to protest an arbitrary change in her seating position. Despite being overruled by the Senate President, she persisted, leading to her referral to the Senate Ethics Committee. The committee later recommended her suspension.

In a February 28 television interview, the senator alleged that her suspension stemmed from her refusal to entertain unwanted sexual advances from Senate President Akpabio. She stated,

“My troubles in the Senate began after I rejected unwanted sexual advances from Akpabio.”

She subsequently approached the court seeking an order declaring any action taken by the Senate Committee during the pendency of her suit as:

“Null, void, and of no effect.”

Meanwhile, the struck-out motions have been described as “overtaken by events,” as the legal battle between both lawmakers continues to unfold.