Yesterday, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered Senate President Godswill Akpabio and others to file their defence in a suit filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order after the court records confirmed that all processes in the suit had been duly served on the defendants.
The embattled senator had, in a motion ex-parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, sued the clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) and the Senate as the first and second defendants.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also named the President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Sen. Neda Imasuem, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, as third and fourth defendants, respectively.
The lawmaker, among others, sought an interim injunction restraining the Senate’s committee headed by Imasuem from proceeding with the purported investigation against her for alleged misconduct related to the events at the plenary on February 20. This was under the Senate’s referral on February 25, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
On March 4, Justice Egwuatu granted all the prayers in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s motion, including an order declaring any action taken during the pendency of the suit null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.
The judge also granted leave to the lawmaker to serve the 2nd to 4th defendants the originating summons and all other accompanying processes in the suit by substituted means, to wit: by serving same through the 1st defendant (Clerk of NASS) or pasting same on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing same in two national dailies.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently made an order “directing the 1st -4th defendants to come and show cause within 72 hours upon the service of the order on them why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them restraining them from proceeding with the purported investigation against the plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affording her privileges as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023 and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.”
Upon resumed hearing on Monday, counsel to the 1st (clerk), 2nd (Senate), and 3rd (Akpabio) defendants told the court that they had not been served with the processes in the suit.
However, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Michael Numa, SAN, disagreed with their submission. Numa informed the court that all parties had been served, adding that affidavits of service had already been made before the court.
After reviewing the affidavits of service in the court records, Justice Egwatu confirmed the service of all processes on all defendants.
At this point, counsel to the Senate president, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, prayed the court for an adjournment so that all processes could be regularized.
Other lawyers aligned with Ogunwumiju’s submission, pointing out that this would facilitate an accelerated hearing at the next adjourned date.
Justice Egwatu, in a ruling, ordered that all relevant processes be filed and served on parties before the next adjourned date.
The judge then adjourned the matter until March 25 for a hearing.
NAN reports that the Senate, at a plenary presided over by the senate president on Thursday, suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months after considering the committee’s report chaired by Imasuem.
