Natasha moves to stop Akpabio at Supreme Court over Senate suspension

Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan, has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss an appeal filed by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over her suspension from the Senate.

Court documents sighted in Abuja showed that Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a counter-affidavit opposing Akpabio’s appeal, urging the apex court to throw out the application for lacking merit and constituting an abuse of court process.

The counter-affidavit, marked SC/CV/1111/2025, was deposed to by a Senior Legislative Aide to the senator and filed in response to Akpabio’s Motion on Notice dated January 21, 2026.

The respondents argued that the Court of Appeal had already concluded hearing in the substantive appeal on November 28, 2025, and reserved judgment, stressing that Akpabio’s move to the Supreme Court was an attempt to interfere with an ongoing appellate process.

They further maintained that Akpabio was given ample opportunity to present his case at the Court of Appeal and that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s brief of argument was duly filed and never challenged.

According to the respondents, while other parties complied with the 35-page limit stipulated under the Court of Appeal Rules, 2021, Akpabio’s brief exceeded the limit and was not regularised within the required time, leading the appellate court to refuse its admission.

The counter-affidavit also contended that the grounds of appeal raised issues of mixed law and fact without obtaining prior leave of court, rendering the appeal incompetent.

Dismissing claims of denial of fair hearing, the respondents said the Court of Appeal exercised its discretion judicially and urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the application as a delay tactic.

The latest legal move comes barely a week after Akpabio again approached the Supreme Court over the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The dispute stemmed from a February 2025 Senate plenary session, which led to her suspension based on a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had challenged the suspension at the Federal High Court, Abuja, which on July 4, 2025, ruled that the action was excessive, unconstitutional, and a violation of her right to fair hearing.