Akpabio Appeals Court Judgement On Natasha Akpoti’s Suspension

The Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to overturn a federal high court ruling that ordered the Senate to lift the suspension of Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The appeal, dated July 14, 2025, challenges the judgement handed down on July 4 by Justice Binta Nyako.

In her ruling, Justice Nyako described the Senate’s six-month suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan as excessive and a violation of the rights of her constituents to be represented.

While the court acknowledged that the Senate has the authority to discipline its members, it took issue with the severity of the punishment.

In the same judgement, Natasha Akpoti was also fined ₦5 million for contempt, over a Facebook post deemed to have breached a previous court order.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, on her part, has appealed that contempt charge, arguing that the court didn’t have jurisdiction.

She argued that the trial court lacked the authority to entertain a contempt charge because the alleged misconduct took place outside the courtroom — something known in legal terms as “ex facie curiae’.

Meanwhile, Akpabio’s legal team has filed a separate challenge, questioning the federal high court’s power to even hear the case.

They insist that issues involving the Senate’s internal workings, like disciplinary actions, fall outside the court’s authority under Section 251 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.

In the 11-point appeal, Akpabio argued that the lower court wrongly dismissed his preliminary objections and interfered in matters strictly reserved for the legislature.

His legal team claimed the judge crossed the line by addressing questions that neither party had raised, particularly around whether the suspension was too harsh, a move they say compromised the judge’s neutrality.

Akpabio is also pushing back on the claim that Natasha Akpoti’s rights were breached, stating that she didn’t follow due process before heading to court.

According to him, she should have first approached the Senate’s ethics and privileges committee, as outlined in the Senate’s Standing Orders.

He faulted the court for merging temporary (interim) requests with the main case, saying that went against established legal procedure.

His lawyers also believe the case should have been dismissed outright because Akpoti-Uduaghan didn’t serve the National Assembly Clerk with a three-month notice before filing the suit, as required under Section 21 of the Legislative Houses Act.

Akpabio further asked the Appeal Court to scrap the earlier judgement and uphold the Senate’s suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan.

KanyiDaily recalls that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan recently wrote a petition to the Senate, asking for her immediate reinstatement.