Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has initiated contempt proceedings against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other individuals, accusing them of disregarding a valid court order.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her counsel, filed Form 48 at the Federal High Court (FHC) on Thursday in Abuja, following her six-month suspension by the Senate, which she claimed violated a Court order.
The Form 48 serves as a notice regarding the consequences of disobeying a Court order. The Form 48 was issued by the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, filed by Natasha to assert her rights.
Named as defendants/contemnors were the Clerk of the National Assembly (NASS), the Senate, Senate President, and Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, listed as the 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
Read also: Natasha Akpoti: Senate passes vote of confidence on Akpabio
This notice of Court order disobedience was signed by the Court registrar in accordance with Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act, 2004, and included a warning about the consequences of disobeying the Court order issued on March 4.
The application further noted that the defendants/contemnors had wilfully disobeyed the Court order, as directed by Justice Obiora on March 4. As a result, it was stated that the Senate President, the Committee Chairman, and the NASS Clerk could be held “liable for contempt of court,” and they may be imprisoned unless they comply with the Court order.
It said::”TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that despite being duly served with the enrolled order on the 5th day of March, 2025, you, the defendants/contemnors, have deliberately and contumaciously disregarded its binding directive, proceeding with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of this honourable court.”
The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, had sued the NASS Clerk and the Senate as the 1st and 2nd defendants.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also named the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, as the 3rd and 4th defendants, respectively.
Akpoti-Uduaghan sought an interim injunction to restrain the Senate Committee led by Imasuem, from proceeding with an investigation against her for alleged misconduct. This followed events that transpired during the Plenary on February 20, based on a Senate referral on February 25, pending the resolution of the motion for an Interlocutory Injunction.
On March 4, Justice Egwuatu granted all the requests in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s motion, including an order declaring any actions taken during the case’s pendency as null, void, and without effect.
The judge also granted permission for the lawmaker to serve the originating summons and other related processes to the 2nd to 4th defendants through substituted means, either by serving them via the 1st defendant (Clerk of NASS), pasting them on the National Assembly premises, or publishing the notices in two national newspapers.
Read also: Senate to IPU: Natasha Akpoti was suspended for misconduct, not sexual harassment
Justice Egwuatu then issued an order directing the 1st to 4th defendants to show cause within 72 hours of receiving the order as to why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted. The judge further declared that any action taken during the case’s pendency would be considered null, void, and of no effect.
On Monday, Justice Egwuatu ordered the defendants to file their defense in the case and adjourned the matter until March 25 for hearing.
