Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared before a High Court in Abuja on Tuesday for a hearing regarding her suspension by the Senate over allegations of misconduct, which stemmed from claims of bias by one of the parties involved in the case.
In her motion, Akpoti-Uduaghan named the National Assembly, the Senate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, as defendants.
The case, reassigned to Justice Binta Nyako after Justice Obiorah Egwuatu withdrew from the matter, was called for hearing on Monday. Counsel for the suspended senator, Jibrin Okutekpa (SAN), informed the court that the plaintiff had filed all necessary documents in compliance with the court’s earlier directive.
Meanwhile, counsel for the Senate, Paul Daudu (SAN), and Senate President’s counsel, Ekwo Ejembi, confirmed they had also submitted their respective filings. However, they brought to the court’s attention a motion alleging disobedience to a prior court order by the plaintiff, noting that the plaintiff had already responded to the motion.
The defendants accused Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of violating a court order by posting a satirical apology letter addressed to the Senate President on her Facebook page on March 27, which was also published in some national newspapers. Plaintiff’s counsel, Michael Numan (SAN), acknowledged receiving the motion and reminded the court of an earlier motion filed against all the defendants for disobedience of a court order.
Numan argued that the statement attributed to the plaintiff had no connection to her and asserted that the alleged contemptuous remarks were unrelated to his client.
Eko Ejembi Eko, counsel for Akpabio, submitted a motion on notice dated May 5, alleging that the plaintiff’s Facebook post was a deliberate mockery of the court’s order. In response, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a counter-affidavit accusing the Senate President of attempting to suppress her right to free speech. She argued that her recent satirical letter addressed to the Senate President did not violate the court’s directive prohibiting parties from engaging with the media.
The suspended senator emphasised that her viral letter focused on her sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, which she noted was distinct from the court case regarding her alleged unlawful suspension from the Senate.
