A fresh legal battle has erupted in the Nigerian Senate as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan moves to hold Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other top legislative officials accountable for disobeying a Federal High Court order.
The court, sitting in Abuja, has issued Form 48, a formal notice of contempt, warning Akpabio and his colleagues of possible imprisonment for failing to comply with a March 4, 2025 ruling.
At the heart of the dispute is an ongoing Senate investigation into Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan over events that transpired during a plenary session on February 20, 2025.
The court had barred the Senate from proceeding with the probe pending further hearings, but the lawmakers allegedly ignored the directive.
Despite being served with the court order on March 5, 2025, Akpabio, alongside the Clerk of the National Assembly and Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, Senator Neda Imasuem, reportedly continued with the investigation in direct defiance of the court’s ruling.
The Federal High Court has now issued a stern warning, reminding the Defendants that under Section 72 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act 2004, disobeying a court order carries serious consequences, including imprisonment.
A portion of the Form 48 notice reads:
“Your willful disobedience of the order of this Honourable Court, Coram: Hon. Justice O.A. Egwuatu J, made on 4th March 2025, renders you liable for contempt of court, for which you may be committed to prison unless you comply with the said order.”
Legal experts say this case could set a major precedent for the separation of powers and the limits of legislative authority.
If the Senate leadership fails to comply, the court may move to enforce its ruling, potentially leading to serious legal and political ramifications for Akpabio’s leadership.
As the legal standoff intensifies, all eyes are on the Senate’s next move—will it comply with the court order or risk further escalation in this high-stakes legal showdown?