The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out two motions filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and awarded ₦100,000 in costs against him in favour of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
A three-member panel led by Justice Hamman Barka delivered the ruling on May 21, 2025, after Akpabio’s legal team requested to withdraw the appeal. The motions, dated March 3 and March 25, 2025, were marked CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025 respectively.
The respondents in the appeal included Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
Akpabio had approached the Court of Appeal seeking several orders, including:
- An extension of time to seek leave to appeal the March 10, 2025, ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
- Leave to appeal the same decision on grounds of mixed law and fact.
- An extension of time to file the notice of appeal.
- A stay of proceedings in the Federal High Court pending the outcome of the appeal.
The High Court case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, was originally filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Clerk of the National Assembly and three others.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal stated: “Application seeking to withdraw the two motions dated and filed on 20/3/2025 and 25/3/2025 is granted and the motions are struck out. Costs of ₦100,000 are awarded to the 1st Respondent. Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025 to be deleted.”
This development marks a significant procedural win for Akpoti-Uduaghan in her legal battle involving issues of legislative conduct and redress at the National Assembly.
