- She asked the court to permit serving the defendants through substituted means for the originating summons and other legal documents.
- The judge ordered defendants to justify within 72 hours why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued against them.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary action against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Obiora Egwuatu, the judge presiding over the case, granted the order on Tuesday after reviewing an ex parte motion submitted by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal representatives from Kogi Central.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had been summoned by the Senate’s disciplinary panel after a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio that took place on February 20 during a session.
She disrupted proceedings by refusing to accept the seat assigned to her, disregarding Akpabio’s instructions, and insisting on raising a point of order multiple times.
As a result, the Senate directed Akpoti-Uduaghan to appear before the Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions Committee for a disciplinary hearing concerning her conduct.
During a February 28 interview with Arise TV, the Kogi senator claimed that her troubles in the Senate started after rejecting alleged sexual advances from Akpabio.
The legal representatives handling the senator’s case include Sanusi Musa, M. J. Numa, Y. M. Zakari, B. J. Tabai, Tijanni Jimol, and M. C. Bekee.
The named defendants in the suit are the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, and the Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee.
Based on a document reviewed by TheCable, the senator requested that the court issue an order preventing the Senate and its ethics panel from “proceeding with the purported investigation” against her.
She also sought a court ruling that would declare “any action taken during the pendency of this suit is null, void and of no effect whatsoever”.
Additionally, Akpoti-Uduaghan requested judicial approval for the defendants to be served the originating summons and all related documents through substituted means.
“AN ORDER OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT granting an Interim Injunction restraining the 2nd Defendant/Defendant’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct headed by the 4th Defendant from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff/Applicant for alleged misconduct sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary of the 2nd Defendant on the 20th day of February, 2025, pursuant to the referral by the 2nd Defendant on 25th February, 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction,” a part of the application reads.
In his ruling, the judge ordered that within 72 hours of receiving the order, the defendants must provide reasons why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted.
Egwuatu approved the request allowing the defendants to be served through substituted means as part of the legal process.
The judge then scheduled the case for March 10, allowing the defendants to justify why the senator’s requests should not be approved.
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