Court adjourns hearing of Natasha’s suit against Senate

Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed March 25 for a hearing in a suit filed by Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, against the Nigerian Senate.

The court further ordered Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and others to file their defence in a suit filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Natasha had approached the Federal High Court, seeking an order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from investigating her.

The court granted the order, but the Senate on Thursday proceeded to suspend the senator for six months.

The embattled senator had, in a motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, sued clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) and the Senate as 1st and 2nd defendants.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also named the President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Sen. Neda Imasuem, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct as 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.

The lawmaker, among others, sought an order of interim injunction restraining the Senate’s committee headed by Imasuem from proceeding with the purported investigation against her for alleged misconduct sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary on Feb. 20, pursuant to the referral by the Senate on Feb. 25, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

At the hearing of the matter on Monday, counsels to the first, second, and third defendants told the court that they had not been served with Natasha’s court papers.

READ ALSO: Senator Natasha sues Akpabio, demands ₦1.3bn in damages

However, Natasha’s counsel, Michael Numa, SAN, said all parties have been served, adding that affidavits of service were before the court.

After going through the affidavits of service before the court, Justice Egwatu confirmed service of all processes on all respondents.

At this point, counsel to the third respondent, the Senate President, Kehinde Ogunwumiju SAN, prayed to the court for an adjournment for all processes to be harmonised.

Other counsel supported the move because it would facilitate an accelerated hearing at the next adjourned date.

Justice Egwatu, in a ruling, ordered that all relevant processes should be filed and served on parties in the matter before the next adjourned date.

The judge then adjourned the matter until March 25 for hearing.

Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Victor Nwaebonyi, while speaking on the outcome of the proceeding, admitted that in legal proceedings service was important.

Nwaebonyi added that it is only when parties are properly served that they will study the matter and respond accordingly.

He admitted that it is strange for the court to interfere in the affairs of the Senate, noting that the Senate only answered the call of the court being a responsible and law-abiding institution.

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