Akpabio heads to Supreme court over Natasha’s suspension case

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court over the legal dispute surrounding the suspension of Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Court documents dated December 1, 2025, obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, confirm the development. The move comes after the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, recently struck out the Federal Government’s brief in the appeal challenging Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.

The appellate court ruled that the brief was incompetent, noting multiple violations of the Court of Appeal Rules, including incorrect font size and line spacing, exceeding the 35-page limit, and failing to seek leave of court to depart from procedural requirements. The Notice of Appeal itself was also deemed defective. The justices said these breaches were substantive and affected the appeal’s validity.

Despite publicly claiming the brief was struck out “illegally,” records show the decision was based strictly on legal grounds.

Dissatisfied, Akpabio has now asked the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling, prompting public attention. Legal and political observers have described it as unusual for a Senate President to personally pursue a case. Sources in the National Assembly say Akpabio has been closely monitoring the matter, raising concerns among some in the legal community.

The dispute is also intertwined with longstanding political tension between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan. The first-term senator has gained a reputation for openly criticizing Senate leadership, which insiders say has unsettled the Senate President. A National Assembly source said:
“This matter has clearly moved beyond the courtroom. It has become a political contest for relevance and dominance.”

Within ruling party circles, there are claims that influential figures expect Akpabio to curb Akpoti-Uduaghan’s rising profile.

In his Supreme Court Notice of Appeal, Akpabio argued that the Court of Appeal violated his right to a fair hearing by refusing to allow him to regularise the defective brief or exceed the page limit. He asked the apex court to nullify the November 28, 2025, proceedings and permit him to refile the brief in compliance with the rules.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyers confirmed being served with the documents but described the appeal as a desperate attempt to overturn a lawful ruling. One counsel said:
“Yes, we have been served. But this is just another needless misadventure that will lead to nowhere.”

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