(DDM) – Senate President Godswill Akpabio has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a ruling by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal in the ongoing legal dispute surrounding the suspension of Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Court of Appeal had, on 28 November 2025 in Abuja, struck out Mr Akpabio’s appellant brief, citing that it exceeded the prescribed page limit, and proceeded to hear the appeal filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
This development follows a complex legal battle that began at the Federal High Court in Abuja earlier this year.
The dispute originates from the suspension of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan on 6 March 2025 after a disagreement with Mr Akpabio during a Senate proceeding on 20 February over her seating position.
The Senate adopted the report of its Ethics Committee and suspended the senator for six months, citing alleged misconduct and violation of Standing Orders.
Her office was sealed, and her salaries and allowances withheld. The suspension could be lifted earlier only if she tendered a written apology, which she refused.
Following the suspension, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the action at the Federal High Court. On 4 July 2025, the court declared her suspension excessive but did not directly order its reversal.
Additionally, the court fined her N5 million for contempt over a “satirical apology” posted on her Facebook page on 27 April and ordered her to issue unreserved apologies in two national dailies and on social media.
The judgment described the act as civil contempt, not criminal.
After the Federal High Court ruling, both parties filed appeals. The Court of Appeal heard the case on 28 November and reserved judgment.
Mr Akpabio contended that the appellate court’s strict enforcement of page limits and rejection of his revised brief denied him a fair hearing as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.
He argued that the complexity of the case and the volume of issues required a longer submission.
Mr Akpabio stated that he formally requested permission to exceed the limit in early November, which the court declined.
On 18 December 2025, Mr Akpabio filed his appeal at the Supreme Court, naming the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Nigerian Senate, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Neda Imasuem, as respondents.
He seeks to rely on his full brief or to file a complaint brief for proper consideration, asserting that the Appeal Court prioritized speed over fairness and treated parties unequally.
The legal feud highlights the broader tension between the two politicians, with Mr Akpabio asserting that by the time the appeal was heard, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had been reinstated to the Senate on 6 September 2025 and had resumed her duties with all privileges.
The Supreme Court’s ruling is expected to clarify procedural compliance and ensure that constitutional rights to fair hearing are upheld in politically sensitive cases.
This ongoing case has drawn national attention, reflecting both the legal intricacies and political undertones of legislative discipline in Nigeria.