The Federal High Court in Abuja will on June 27, 2025 deliver judgement on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s , the Kogi State federal lawmaker suit challenging her six-month suspension from the Senate.
Penpushing reports that the judge, Justice Binta Nyako, made this known on Tuesday, and scheduled the case for judgement after all parties, through their respective lawyers, adopted their respective filings and made closing arguments.
The judge after listening to the lawyers announced her plan, explaining that her judgement would address other ancillary matters, which arose in the intervening period between the filing and the final hearing of the suit.
Penpushing further reports that Nyako stated that the judgment would decide on the counter-contempt charges that arose in the case and the preliminary objection filed by all the defendants, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
“I want to believe that all processes are in. What I am going to do is to first look at the issues of contempt and take a decision on it. Then I will look at the notices of preliminary objection. If they succeed, that is the end of the case and if they don’t, I will look at the originating summons filed by the plaintiff’, the judge said.
Penpushing also reports that by records and the date scheduled for the judgement, the Senator would have served nearly four months of the six-month suspension from the Senate leadership.
The Senator it is recalled had filed the suit in March, initially, to halt an investigation by the Senate and its Committee on Ethics into alleged misconduct stemming from Senate proceedings where she had an altercation with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over her assigned seat.
Penpushing reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan sued the Clerk of the Senate, the Senate, Senate President Akpabio and Neda Imasuem, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct.
The Senate despite the suit and the initial restraining order issued by the former judge Obiora Egwuatu asking the Senate to stay action on its disciplinary proceedings, proceeded to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan on March 6, 2025 for six months.
Penpushing further reports that the Senator filed a contempt complaint against the Senate President and other relevant Senate officers for disobeying the order halting the disciplinary action against her.
The matter continued to stir up public commentaries in the media prompting Senate President to urge the court to bar parties to the suit to speak to the press or share social media posts about the matter.
Penpushing also reports that Akpoti-Natasha, however, late last month mocked the Senate President with a satirical apology posted on her official Facebook page, and in the aftermath of the post, Akpabio’s legal team filed an application in court, accusing the suspended Senator of breaching the gag order banning interviews and such a social media post while the case in court lasted.
The suspended Senator who was, present in court on Tuesday to observe proceedings in response, to Senate President lawyers claim in the suit countered the application, urging the court to dismiss it.
FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email penpushing@yahoo.com
