Supreme Court Showdown: Akpabio Takes Legal War Against Senator Natasha to Nigeria’s Highest Court


​-By Ruben Mario Brodrick 

The high-stakes legal battle between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has reached its final frontier as the dispute moves to the apex court of the land. Despite recent indications that Akpabio intended to withdraw pending litigations against his political adversaries, he has formally approached the Supreme Court to sustain an appeal challenging the decisions of lower courts that previously favored the Kogi Senator. Filed under motion SC NO: SC/CV/1111/2025, the Senate President is seeking to regularize his appeal and obtain a stay against the rulings that branded the Senate's disciplinary actions as a violation of constitutional rights.

​The roots of this intense friction trace back to a volatile plenary session in February 2025. During that sitting, Senator Natasha raised concerns regarding procedural breaches and issues of privilege, which eventually escalated into a protest following the reassignment of her seat by the Senate leadership. This defiance led to her matter being referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, headed by Senator Neda Imasuen. Based on the committee’s recommendations, she was slapped with a six-month suspension, and her official legislative office was sealed on March 6, 2025.

​The legal pendulum swung in Natasha’s favor on July 4, 2025, when the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a scathing judgment. The court faulted the Senate's disciplinary process, describing the suspension as "excessive and unconstitutional" while highlighting a failure to provide the lawmaker with a fair hearing. However, Akpabio’s current push to the Supreme Court argues that the judiciary is overstepping. He maintains that under Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly possesses the sovereign power to regulate its own internal procedures and that the Senate President is not obligated to rule immediately on every point of privilege raised during a heated session.

​Even though Senator Natasha successfully resumed her legislative duties on September 23, 2025, after her suspension lapsed and her office was unsealed, the legal war refuses to die down. The case is further complicated by a secondary legal row involving a social media post made by the Senator during the heat of the litigation, which resulted in a court fine and an order for a public apology—a decision she is currently contesting. As the Supreme Court prepares to deliberate, the outcome is expected to be a landmark ruling that will finally clarify the boundaries of legislative immunity and determine whether the judiciary has the right to intervene in the internal disciplinary mechanisms of the National Assembly.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Breaking: Agbor Catholic Community Mourns as Fr. Chukwuma Collapses, Dies on the Pulpit During New Year Mass

Image
-​By Ruben Mario Brodrick  The Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku and the entire Ika nation have been plunged into deep mourning following the sudden and poetic transition of one of their most dedicated spiritual pillars, Very Rev. Fr. Stephen Chukwuma . In an event that has left the congregation of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Boji-Boji Agbor, in a state of shock and solemn reflection, the beloved cleric breathed his last while performing his final earthly duty: presiding over the New Year Day Mass. ​Witnesses recount that Father Chukwuma was standing at the pulpit, delivering the message of hope for the year 2026, when he collapsed in the presence of his parishioners. Despite the immediate efforts of those present, it became clear that the veteran priest had finished his race. For many of the faithful, his death is seen as a "saintly exit," occurring while he was clad in his sacred vestments and standing at the altar of God—the very place he dedicated his...
Read more

Archbishop Akubeze Announces the Passing of Fr. Jude Ezenwa

Image
-By Ruben Mario Brodrick  It is with a heavy heart that Archbishop Augustine Obiora Akubeze announces the passing of Fr. Jude Ezenwa, who died on the afternoon of Sunday, September 7, 2025. The news was shared by Fr. Mike Oyanoafoh on behalf of the Archbishop. Fr. Jude Ezenwa will be remembered for his dedication and service as Parish Priest of Immaculate Conception Parish, Ugo in Orhiomwon  Local Government Area of Edo State.  Further details regarding funeral arrangements and memorial services will be announced in the coming days. We ask for prayers for the repose of his soul and for his family and loved ones during this difficult time. May he rest in perfect peace.
Read more

Why Pope Francis died -Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

Image
Why Pope Francis died -Pastor Chris Oyakhilome April 26, 2025  Pope Francis Was Killed, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Reveals Chris Oyakhilome, A controversial Nigerian cleric, has claimed without evidence that Pope Francis died from the effects of taking the coronavirus vaccine. Mr Oyakhilome, president of LoveWorld Incorporated, made the claim on Saturday, about five years after he falsely claimed that there was a link between the 5G network, Coronavirus, and the Anti-Christ. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown directives, the pastor slammed his colleagues for consenting to the closure of churches. In January 2021, Pope Francis said that people have a moral obligation to receive one of the new COVID-19 vaccines, revealing that he was expecting his first dose. According to the National Catholic Reporter, the pope said that taking the vaccine was a moral choice because it was about saving lives. Claim on Pope’s death While the Vatican announced on Mon...
Read more