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A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim injunction restraining the National Assembly and its agents from taking any actions against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The injunction, granted in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, follows a suit filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Clerk of the National Assembly and three others.

Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwatu, presiding over the case, delivered the ruling on March 4, 2025, effectively halting the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from investigating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over alleged misconduct during a plenary session on February 20, 2025. The probe stemmed from a referral by the second defendant on February 25, 2025. The interim injunction remains in force pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on March 3, 2025. Parties involved have been directed to show cause within 72 hours of receiving the order as to why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted, further restraining the defendants from continuing with the investigation until the substantive matter is resolved.

In compliance with the court’s directive, a certified true copy of the order has been sent to the Clerk of the National Assembly, representing the first defendant, as well as to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President of the Senate (the third defendant), and Senator Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct (the fourth defendant). The order, signed by Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN FPD, UK, mandates strict adherence by the defendants pending the outcome of the proceedings scheduled for March 10, 2025.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, M.J Numa & Partners LLP (Trial Attorney & Transaction), welcomed the court’s decision as a necessary measure to ensure fair and just proceedings, emphasizing the importance of upholding due process and protecting the rights of the plaintiff during the judicial process.

This development underscores the ongoing legal scrutiny surrounding legislative actions and procedural integrity within Nigeria’s political landscape, promising further deliberation and legal scrutiny in the days ahead.

*Source: NdokwaReporters.