Senate President Akpabio, Others Face Jail for Ignoring Court Order

Senate President Godswill Akpabio risks jail time for failing to obey a court order, as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan begins contempt proceedings against him and other top officials of the Senate.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months by the senate for violating its rules.

A Form 48 notice has been issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, with Akpoti-Uduaghan as the plaintiff and the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, Senate President Akpabio, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuem, as defendants. The notice warns that the accused officials could face imprisonment for their actions.

The court order, signed by the Registrar, was issued under Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act, 2004 and explicitly states that Akpabio, Imasuem, and the Clerk of the National Assembly are guilty of "wilful disobedience" of a directive issued by Justice O.A. Egwuatu on March 4, 2025.

Despite being officially served the order on March 5, 2025, the Senate leadership allegedly ignored it and proceeded with actions that directly violated the court's authority. The court now holds them accountable for contempt and warns that they could be sent to prison unless they comply with the ruling.

The notice of consequences, attached to 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."

The court had earlier granted an interim injunction barring the Senate's Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from proceeding with its investigation into Akpoti-Uduaghan over an alleged misconduct during a Senate plenary on February 20, 2025. The Senate had referred the matter to the committee on February 25, 2025, but the court ordered that no action should be taken until the case was fully heard.

The ruling also directed Akpabio and the other defendants to "show cause" as to why a permanent injunction should not be issued against them to prevent any investigation into the allegations against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The court further declared that any actions taken by the Senate while the case is still pending would be "null, void, and of no effect."

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