The legal dispute over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has intensified, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio approaching the Supreme Court to advance his appeal.
Court documents obtained on Thursday show that Akpabio filed an application to regularise and sustain his appeal against lower court rulings on the matter. The case is recorded as SC NO: SC/CV/1111/2025; Appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/1107/2025; Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.
The motion partly reads:
"Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Order 4 Rules 6 & 16 of the Supreme Court 2024 Sections 22, 27 (1) 4, 2 & 4 and 29 of the Supreme Court ACT CAP S.15 Laws of the Federal Law Section 233 (1) and 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) and under the inherent jurisdiction of this Honourable Court."
Akpabio is the appellant, while the respondents include Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
The controversy began in February 2025 when Akpoti-Uduaghan raised issues of privilege and alleged procedural breaches during a Senate plenary session. The matter was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which recommended her suspension.
Displeased, Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the suspension at the Federal High Court in Abuja, claiming her right to a fair hearing had been violated. On July 4, 2025, the court ruled that her suspension was excessive and unconstitutional.
Following an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Akpabio has now escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking:
An extension of time to apply for leave to appeal
Leave to appeal on grounds of mixed law and fact
Recognition of his notice of appeal and brief of argument as properly filed
Akpabio argued that the Senate acted within its powers under Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows the National Assembly to regulate its internal procedures. He maintained that the Senate President is not obliged to immediately rule on every point of privilege and that disciplinary processes were lawfully activated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, insists her suspension was unlawful and carried out without a fair hearing, accusing the Senate of failing to follow its own rules. Her lawyers have been served with the Supreme Court processes.
The case also involves a related contempt issue over a social media post by Akpoti-Uduaghan while the suit was pending. The Federal High Court fined her and ordered a public apology, a decision she has appealed. Legal experts say the Supreme Court ruling could clarify the limits of legislative discipline and judicial intervention.
This legal escalation comes just two weeks after Akpabio announced he would withdraw pending court cases against his political opponents.
Akpoti-Uduaghan resumed Senate duties on September 23, 2025, after serving a six-month suspension. Her office had been sealed since March 6, 2025, following allegations of misconduct during a protest over her seat reassignment by Akpabio on February 20.
Despite the suspension ending in September, she could not immediately return to her office due to ongoing legal resistance from the Senate leadership. Even after the July 4 court judgment, her initial request to resume was rejected.
Elijah Adeyemi
