The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing in the ongoing legal battle between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until Tuesday, May 13.
The adjournment came as a result of fresh contempt allegations filed by both parties, which the court ruled must be addressed before the substantive suit proceeds.
Presiding Judge Justice Binta Nyako made the decision on Monday after lawyers representing the second and third defendants informed the court that they had filed an application alleging that Akpoti-Uduaghan violated a previous court order.
The legal standoff began in February 2025 after a heated dispute over seating arrangements during a Senate plenary session. The situation quickly escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan, during a televised interview, accused Akpabio of sexual harassment—a claim that triggered a political and legal storm.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a suit at the Federal High Court seeking to restrain the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from investigating or disciplining her. The court granted an interim order on March 4, barring the Senate from initiating disciplinary action. However, the Senate suspended her two days later, citing alleged misconduct detailed in a committee report.
Subsequently, on April 4, Justice Nyako issued a gag order, prohibiting all parties—including Akpabio, the Senate, the Clerk of the National Assembly, and Senator Monday Imasuen—from speaking to the media or making social media posts concerning the case.
At Monday’s hearing, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Jibrin Okutekpa, declared readiness to proceed with the hearing, having filed all necessary documents. However, Paul Daudu, representing the second defendant, cited a breach of the court’s gag order. He alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan posted a “satirical apology” on Facebook, which mocked the court’s proceedings.
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“This court ordered that there should be no social media posts, but the plaintiff herself posted a satirical apology,” Daudu told the court.
Charles Ejembi (SAN), representing Akpabio, supported the claim, tendering a Punch newspaper article as evidence. He described the Facebook post as a direct mockery of the judicial process.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team countered, arguing that the post referenced the sexual harassment allegation—a separate issue from the ongoing court proceedings—and thus, did not violate the court’s order.
Nonetheless, Justice Nyako remained firm, declaring:
“I cannot proceed with this matter until I conclude on the issue of contempt. If there is contempt, I have to hear and determine it first.”
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Interestingly, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team also filed a contempt application against all defendants, accusing them of similar breaches of the gag order.
The judge acknowledged the application and advised the plaintiff’s counsel to present it formally for the court’s consideration.
“If you have an application for contempt, bring it forward so the court can hear it,” Justice Nyako stated.
The case is scheduled to resume on May 13, with the court expected to first address the cross-allegations of contempt before proceeding to the main suit—where Akpoti-Uduaghan is challenging her suspension from the Senate.
