Suspended Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has taken legal action against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, filing a contempt charge for allegedly defying a court order that barred her suspension.
Also cited in the contempt proceedings are the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuem. The charge was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Court Order Allegedly Ignored
Akpoti-Uduaghan insists that her six-month suspension violated a subsisting court order issued on March 4, 2025, which restrained the Senate from taking any disciplinary action against her over an incident during the February 20 plenary session.
Despite receiving the court’s injunction on March 5, the defendants allegedly went ahead with her suspension, prompting the court to issue a Form 48 notice of disobedience—a legal warning that could result in imprisonment for contempt.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu had earlier ruled that any action against Akpoti-Uduaghan while the case was pending would be “null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.” The court also allowed her to serve the legal documents through alternative means, such as pasting them at the National Assembly or publishing them in national newspapers.
Akpabio Challenges Court’s Authority
In response, Senate President Akpabio has questioned the court’s jurisdiction, arguing that the judiciary lacks the power to interfere in legislative matters.
With legal tensions rising, the court has adjourned the case until March 25 for further proceedings.