The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned the suit filed by the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, 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 documents.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had approached the Federal High Court seeking an order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from investigating her.
Delivering a ruling on the application on March 5, 2025, the trial judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, barred the committee from proceeding with the probe.
The court ordered the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions to halt the disciplinary action instituted against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Specifically, Justice Egwuatu gave the National Assembly a 72-hour ultimatum to justify why it should not be restrained from probing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged misconduct.
While ruling on the ex-parte application brought before the court by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Mr Sanusi Musa (SAN), Justice Egwuatu ordered the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and the committee to, within 72 hours of receiving the court’s order, show cause why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued to stop them from probing the plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affording her the privileges stipulated in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
The court also granted Akpoti-Uduaghan permission to serve the originating summons and all accompanying processes on the defendants through substituted means — either by handing them to the Clerk of the National Assembly, who was cited as the first defendant, or by pasting them on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing them in two national newspapers.
Justice Egwuatu noted that he had taken judicial notice of an affidavit of urgency attached to the application, as well as depositions personally made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The ex-parte injunction stated: “It is hereby ordered as follows: An order of this Honourable Court is made granting leave to the Plaintiff/Applicant to serve the 2nd–4th Defendants/Respondents with the originating summons and all other accompanying processes in this suit by substituted means, to wit: by serving same through the 1st Defendant (Clerk of the National Assembly) or pasting same on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing same in two national dailies.
“An order of interim injunction of this Honourable Court is made restraining the 2nd Defendant/Defendant’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, headed by the 4th Defendant, from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff/Applicant for alleged misconduct, following the events that occurred at the plenary of the 2nd Defendant on February 20, 2025, pursuant to the referral by the 2nd Defendant on February 25, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.
“An order of this Honourable Court is made directing the 1st–4th Defendants to show cause within 72 hours upon the service of this order on them why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them, restraining them from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affording her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.”
However, on March 6, the Senate proceeded to suspend the senator for six months after considering the committee’s report.
At the resumed hearing, counsel for the first, second, and third defendants told the court that they had not been served.
Natasha’s counsel, Michael Numa (SAN), insisted that all parties had been served, adding that affidavits of service were before the court.
After reviewing the affidavits of service, Justice Egwuatu confirmed that all defendants had been duly served.
The counsel for the third respondent, Senate President Kehinde Ogunwumiju, requested an adjournment to allow for the harmonisation of all legal processes.
Other respondents’ counsel supported the request, arguing it would ensure an accelerated hearing on the next adjourned date.
In a brief ruling, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter to March 25, 2025, and ordered that all relevant legal documents be served on the parties before the next hearing.
