A Nigerian Federal High Court in Abuja has announced it will deliver its judgment on June 27th in the case brought by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is challenging her six-month suspension from the Senate.
Justice Binta Nyako set the date on Tuesday after hearing final arguments from lawyers representing all parties involved. By the time the judgment is delivered, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan would have served nearly four months of her suspension, which began in early March.
The judge indicated that her ruling would address several issues, including counter-contempt charges filed during the proceedings and a preliminary objection raised by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other defendants, questioning the court’s jurisdiction to hear the case.
Justice Nyako outlined her approach, stating she would first consider the contempt charges, then the preliminary objection. If the objection is successful, the case would be dismissed. If not, she would proceed to rule on the substantive suit filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan initiated legal action in March to halt an investigation by the Senate’s Ethics Committee into alleged misconduct during a Senate session in February. This followed an altercation with Senate President Akpabio regarding her allocated seating. She named the Clerk of the Senate, the Senate itself, Senate President Akpabio, and the Ethics Committee chairperson as defendants.
Despite the lawsuit and an initial court order instructing the Senate to suspend its disciplinary proceedings, the Senate proceeded to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on March 6th for six months.
In response, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a contempt complaint against Mr. Akpabio and other Senate officials for allegedly disregarding the court order.
The case has attracted significant media attention, further amplified by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio, which the Senate has dismissed on two occasions. Mr. Akpabio has vehemently denied the accusations.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer urged the court to declare her suspension unlawful. He argued that a satirical apology posted by his client on social media, which led to the contempt application against her, was related to the sexual harassment allegations and not the suspension issue before the court.
Lawyers for the Senate and Mr. Akpabio urged the judge to find Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in contempt for the social media post, arguing it violated a court-imposed gag order on public statements about the case. They also argued that the court lacked jurisdiction and that the case was merely an “academic exercise.”
The Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stemmed from her alleged refusal to adhere to seating arrangements and alleged misconduct during a plenary session. In addition to the suspension, her security detail was withdrawn, her Senate office was locked, and her salary and allowances were suspended, with a ban on entering the National Assembly premises. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has stated she will not apologise and remains “firmly in the fight for justice.”
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