From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed May 27 as the judgement date on the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly.
Justice Binta Nyako scheduled the matter for judgement on Tuesday, after all the parties adopted their final briefs of argument.
Natasha was suspended on March 6 for six months over alleged misconduct and violation of Senate rules. Her suspension includes the withdrawal of her salary, security details, barred access to the National Assembly premises and identifying herself as a senator.
The the uproar at Senate plenary on 20th February as a dispute over seating arrangements led to a heated exchange between Natasha and Akpabio. The commotion began after the Kogi Senator voiced her displeasure at the change of her seat.
Natasha had accused Akpabio of persistent sexual advances. She claimed that Akpabio’s hostility toward her stems from her refusal to entertain them.
“My refusal to yield to his consistent advances, both within and outside the country, is the reason behind the victimisation I face in the Senate. It all started on the 8th of December 2023, which was a day before his birthday and my birthday; we are birthday mates”, she claimed; an allegation that the Senate President consistently denied.
While the Senate referred Natasha to its Committee on Ethics and Privileges for disciplinary action over her conduct, she, however, approached the Federal High Court seeking an order restraining the Committee from proceeding with the probe.
Cited as defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, are the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President Akpabio, as well as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Nedamwen Imasuen.
Following her ex parte application, Justice Obiora Egwuatu on March 4 issued an order restraining the Senate from commencing disciplinary proceedings against Natasha.
Earlier, Counsel for the Senate, Paul Daudu (SAN), and that of the Senate President, Ekwo Ejembi, alleged that Natasha disobeyed the order of the court when, on March 27, she posted a satirical letter of apology to the Senate President on her Facebook page and published it in some national dailies.
On his part, Natasha’s counsel, Jibrin Okutekpa (SAN), reminded the court of a motion for disobedience of the court order against all the defendants filed earlier. He alleged that the statement credited to the suspended senator had no connection with her, adding also that the alleged contemptuous statement had no nexus with the plaintiff.
Okutekpa urged the court to invalidate Natasha’s suspension since it was pronounced in disobedience of a valid court order.
