Suspended Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has officially filed a contempt charge against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over his alleged defiance of a court order concerning her suspension from the Senate. The legal action was initiated following claims that Akpabio, alongside other high-ranking officials in the legislative body, ignored a judicial directive prohibiting any actions against her pending the determination of her case.
In addition to Akpabio, the contempt charge also includes the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuem, who were both cited as contemnors in the Form 48 document filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argues that her six-month suspension from the Senate constitutes a blatant violation of an existing court order issued on March 4, 2025. According to her legal representatives, the court had explicitly restrained the Senate from probing her alleged misconduct, which stemmed from an incident that took place during the plenary session on February 20. Despite this directive, the Senate proceeded with disciplinary measures against her, resulting in her suspension from legislative duties.
A formal notice of disobedience, which was signed by the court’s registrar in accordance with Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, explicitly warned Akpabio, Imasuem, and the Clerk of the National Assembly that their failure to comply with the court’s directive could lead to severe legal consequences, including imprisonment for contempt of court.
In the court filing, the judge overseeing the case, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, highlighted that despite the defendants being officially served with an interim injunction on March 5, they deliberately disregarded the order. The court described their actions as “deliberate and contumacious,” stressing that their defiance constituted a direct assault on judicial authority. Justice Egwuatu further ruled that any punitive action taken against Akpoti-Uduaghan while the case was ongoing would be rendered “null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”
The court also authorized alternative service of legal documents, permitting Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team to serve the necessary court papers on the defendants by pasting them at the National Assembly complex or by publishing them in widely circulated national newspapers. This decision was made to ensure that the defendants could not evade legal responsibility by claiming ignorance of the court order.
Meanwhile, in response to the contempt charge, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has challenged the jurisdiction of the court, arguing that the judiciary lacks the authority to interfere in the internal affairs of the Senate. Akpabio’s legal representatives maintain that the separation of powers doctrine grants the legislative arm autonomy over its disciplinary procedures and that the judiciary should not intervene in matters concerning Senate regulations and proceedings.
The case has been adjourned until March 25, 2025, for further proceedings, with legal experts and political observers closely monitoring developments to see how the judiciary will rule on the matter.