Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central Senatorial District has taken legal action against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other key officials over her suspension from the Senate. The senator has filed contempt charges, arguing that her six-month suspension was in direct violation of a court order.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also names the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuen, as defendants. Legal documents show that the contempt charge is based on the Senate’s decision to suspend her despite a prior court ruling that halted any investigation into her alleged misconduct.
Earlier, on March 4, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court had ruled on an ex parte motion filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team. The court restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from moving forward with its investigation into the senator’s alleged misconduct. This probe was connected to events that took place during a Senate session on February 20, 2025, with a referral for further action made on February 25, 2025.
The court also ordered the defendants to explain why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued to stop them from proceeding with the investigation. The judge stated that any action taken while the case was still in court would be “null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”
Despite this ruling, the Senate moved forward and suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan just two days later, on March 6. In response, she filed contempt charges, arguing that the Senate’s actions directly disobeyed the court’s order.
In her legal documents, the senator pointed out that the court’s injunction had been properly served to the defendants on March 5. The Form 48 contempt charge states that Akpabio, Imasuen, and the Clerk of the National Assembly “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the court’s ruling and acted in defiance of judicial authority.
The Federal High Court, through a notice signed by its Registrar, informed the accused officials that their actions constituted willful disobedience to a valid court order. The notice also warned that defying the order could lead to serious consequences, including possible imprisonment for contempt of court.
Akpabio and the Senate, however, have challenged the court’s authority in the matter. The Senate President argued that the judiciary has no jurisdiction over internal legislative affairs, suggesting that the suspension was within the Senate’s rights.
