The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed its ruling in the case filed by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Godswill Akpabio, the senate president and others, seeking to overturn her suspension.
The judgment, initially expected this week, will now be delivered on July 4.
Justice Binta Nyako had earlier fixed the date after the parties involved including Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Michael Numa, SAN, appeared in court on May 13 and adopted their respective arguments and legal filings.
On the rescheduled date, the court is also expected to rule on the contempt proceedings initiated by both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, as well as decide on the preliminary objections filed by the defendants.
The objections challenge the court’s jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Outlining the steps she would take, Justice Nyako had stated: “I believe all submissions are now before the court. I will first address the contempt issues.
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Then I will rule on the jurisdictional objections. If those succeed, the matter ends there. If not, I will proceed to examine the main suit filed by the applicant.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan initiated the legal action through an ex-parte motion, naming the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Senate as the first and second defendants.
The Senate President and Senator Neda Imasuen, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct, were listed as the third and fourth defendants, respectively.
The senator is challenging a disciplinary process launched against her in relation to events that unfolded during the February 20 plenary session.
She is seeking, among other reliefs, a temporary court order halting the Senate committee’s investigation until her request for a formal injunction can be heard and determined.
Despite an earlier interim injunction granted by Justice Obiora Egwuatu barring any action against her, Akpoti-Uduaghan was eventually suspended from the Senate for six months over allegations of gross misconduct.
Justice Egwuatu, who later recused himself from the case, lifted the restraining order after Akpabio filed a motion accusing him of bias in the matter.
