The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, faces the potential of incarceration for failing to adhere to a judicial directive, as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has initiated contempt proceedings against the Senate.
In a formal notice regarding the disobedience of a Court Order, executed by the Registrar of the Court in accordance with Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, and a notice concerning the repercussions of violating the Court’s order issued on the 4th of March, 2025, the Court implored the defendants/contemnors to acknowledge their intentional disregard for the directive issued by Justice O.A. Egwuatu on the aforementioned date.
The Form 48 was promulgated by the Federal High Court in Abuja, in case No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the President of the Senate, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuem, designated as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Defendants and Contemnors.
The Court observed that the disobedience rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuem, and the Clerk of the National Assembly culpable for contempt of court, for which they may face imprisonment should they fail to comply with the aforementioned order.
The Court stated that notwithstanding being properly served with the enrolled order on the 5th day of March 2025, the defendants/contemnors willfully and obstinately flouted its authoritative directive and engaged in actions that grossly defied the Court’s jurisdiction.
Part of the Form 48 reads: “Take notice that pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriffs and Civil Processes Act, your wilful disobedience of the order of this Honourable Court, Coram: Hon. Justice O.A. Egwuatu J, made on 4th day of March 2025, renders you liable for contempt of court, for which you may be committed to prison unless you comply with the said order.
“Take further notice that despite being duly served with the enrolled order on the 5th Day of March 2025, you, the defendants/contemnors, have deliberately and contumaciously disregarded its binding directive, proceeding with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of this Honourable Court. A copy of the said order is annexed hereto for ease of reference.
“The court in an enrolled order upon a motion exparte dated 28th February, 2025 but filed on the 3rd day of March, 2025 coming before the Honourable Court on the 4th day of March, 2025, prayed for the following reliefs: An order of this honourable court granting leave to the plaintiff/applicant to serve the 2nd defendant/respondents with the originating summons and all other accompanying processes on 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 or by publishing same on two national dailies.
“An order of this honourable court granting an interim injunction 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 sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary of the 2nd Defendant on the 20th day of February, 2025, pursuant to the referral by the 2nd Defendant on 25th February, 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.
“An order of this honourable court directing the 1st -4th Defendants to come and show cause; why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them restraining them from proceeding with purported investigation against the Plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affecting 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.
“An order of this honourable court declaring that any action taken during the pendency of this Suit is null, void and of no effect whatsoever among others.”
