Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio clashed on Wednesday over the Senate’s request to overturn a court order issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja on March 4.
The Senate, through its legal representative Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, filed a motion on notice on March 17, seeking to nullify Order Number Four among the ex-parte orders granted by Justice Obiora Egwuatu in Natasha’s case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, had earlier sued the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Senate as the 1st and 2nd defendants in a motion ex-parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025. She also listed Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, as 3rd and 4th defendants.
The senator sought an interim injunction preventing the Senate Committee, led by Imasuem, from proceeding with an investigation into allegations of misconduct against her. This probe stemmed from events at the Senate plenary on February 20, following a referral by the Senate on February 25.
Among her five requests, Natasha asked the court to declare that any action taken while the case is pending would be null and void. Justice Egwuatu granted this order, but the Senate is now seeking to have it set aside.
Ojukwu argued that the order violates Section 36(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing. He claimed the court had been misled into granting it and urged the judge to nullify the March 4 proceedings.
Lawyers representing the Clerk of the National Assembly, Akpabio, and Imasuem supported Ojukwu’s position.
However, Natasha’s counsel, Michael Numa, SAN, dismissed their arguments, calling them a “conspiracy of the defense.” He urged the court to reject the application, arguing that the Senate had defied the court order and should face disciplinary action.
Numa contended that all the granted orders should be considered together and not selectively. He described the Senate’s motion as an “affront to the court” and warned that ignoring the order to show cause within 72 hours could lead to legal anarchy.
After hearing both sides, Justice Egwuatu stood down the case for ruling.
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