Akpabio, Natasha resume legal battle as Senate President heads to Supreme Court

The legal tussle surrounding the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central District, has entered a new phase as Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, approaches the Supreme Court to contest earlier decisions arising from the matter.

According to documents by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s media team, Akpabio has filed an application before the apex court seeking leave to validate and sustain his appeal against the Senate’s decision last year to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In his filings, the Senate President argued that the Red Chamber acted within the scope of its constitutional authority, citing Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the National Assembly powers to regulate its internal proceedings.

His legal team further maintained that the Senate President is not legally obligated to give an immediate ruling on every point of privilege raised during plenary, and that the chamber lawfully activated its internal disciplinary process in response to what it described as disorderly conduct.

Read also: Court dismisses FG’s criminal case against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Akpoti-Uduaghan, on her part, has repeatedly insisted that her suspension was unconstitutional.

She contended that the Senate failed to follow its own Standing Orders before referring her case to the ethics committee and imposing sanctions, thereby denying her an adequate opportunity to defend herself.

Her lawyers confirmed on Thursday that they had been served with the Supreme Court processes on January 21, 2026, noting that the appeal has now placed the dispute squarely before the apex court for determination.

Read also: FG drops criminal case against Natasha Akpoti

The matter is further complicated by a related contempt proceeding stemming from a social media post made by the senator while the case was pending.

A Federal High Court had held that the post violated a subsisting restraining order, imposing a fine and directing her to issue a public apology.

She has also appealed that decision, arguing that the alleged contempt was ex facie curiae and criminal in nature, and therefore required strict adherence to statutory procedures.

Akpoti-Uduaghan resumed duties on September 23, 2025, after completing a six-month suspension and regaining access to her office at the National Assembly.

The development comes barely two weeks after Akpabio announced that he had decided to withdraw all defamation cases in his name.