The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed judgment in the suit filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging her suspension from the Senate.
The verdict, which was initially scheduled for Friday, June 27, will now be delivered on July 4.
The matter, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, could not proceed due to her absence from court. This comes after parties in the case, including counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Michael Numa, SAN, and lawyers representing the defendants, had previously adopted their written addresses.
The case is between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct.
Justice Nyako is expected to deliver judgment not only on the main suit but also on the contempt proceedings initiated by both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, as well as on preliminary objections challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
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“What I am going to do is to first of all look at the issues of contempt and take a decision on it,” Justice Nyako previously stated.
“Then I will look at the notices of preliminary objection. If they succeed, that is the end of the case. If they don’t, I will look at the originating summons filed by the plaintiff.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had approached the court through an ex-parte application, seeking an interim injunction to restrain the Senate from investigating or punishing her for alleged misconduct following a heated plenary session on February 20.
Though Justice Obiora Egwuatu, the initial trial judge, granted a restraining order, he later vacated it after Akpabio accused him of bias—a move that led to his eventual withdrawal from the case.
Despite the interim relief, the embattled senator representing Kogi Central was suspended by the Senate for six months on grounds of gross misconduct.
The upcoming ruling will be pivotal in determining not only the legality of the suspension but also whether the Federal High Court has jurisdiction to hear the matter.