Court Adjourns Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Case Over Senate Probe to March 25

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned the case filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the Kogi Central Senatorial District, to March 25, 2025. The adjournment followed a submission by the respondents, who informed the court that they had not been served with the necessary legal documents.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had sought an order from the court to restrain the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from investigating her. This legal action came after the committee moved forward with a probe into the senator’s conduct, stemming from events at a February 20, 2025, plenary session.

On March 5, 2025, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled on an ex-parte application from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Mr. Sanusi Musa (SAN), granting an interim injunction. This ruling blocked the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with the investigation, ordering the National Assembly to justify within 72 hours why the probe should continue. The court also allowed Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve the court papers to the defendants through alternative methods, such as handing them to the Clerk of the National Assembly or publishing them in two national newspapers.

Justice Egwuatu noted the urgency of the case, acknowledging the affidavit and depositions made by Akpoti-Uduaghan. The court’s injunction temporarily halted any disciplinary action against the senator over alleged misconduct related to her February 2025 actions.

However, on March 6, despite the court’s ruling, the Senate moved forward with the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months after considering the Ethics Committee’s report.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, counsel for the first, second, and third defendants, including the Clerk of the National Assembly and members of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, informed the court that they had not yet been served with the necessary court documents, leading to the adjournment of the case to March 25, 2025.