Court halts Senate disciplinary action against Senator Natasha

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team.

The senator, who represents Kogi Central, was referred to the committee after a heated exchange with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during the February 20 plenary. She had protested her seating arrangement, raising a point of order multiple times despite being overruled.

On February 28, Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed in an interview with Arise TV that her troubles in the Senate began after she rejected alleged advances from Akpabio.

In her court application, she urged the court to declare any disciplinary action taken against her during the pendency of her suit as “null, void, and of no effect.”

She also sought permission for substituted service of court documents on the defendants, which include the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, and the chairman of the ethics committee.

Justice Egwuatu ordered the defendants to appear in court within 72 hours of being served to show cause why a full interlocutory injunction should not be issued against them. The case has been adjourned to March 10 for further proceedings.