The Court of Appeal in Abuja has stepped back to deliberate on the appeals filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following their legal clash over a Federal High Court ruling that stopped the Senate from probing Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged misconduct.
A three-man panel reserved its decision after lawyers from both sides adopted their written arguments and presented their positions in court.
Akpabio is challenging the earlier judgment that voided Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate. His legal team insisted the High Court had no authority to interfere in issues they described as the internal workings of the National Assembly, protected under Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.
The High Court had previously ruled that the suspension was unconstitutional and deprived the senator’s constituents of representation.
In his cross-appeal, filed on July 11, Akpabio asked the appellate court to overturn that ruling, calling it a miscarriage of justice.
He argued that suspensions, remarks made during plenary, and Senate resolutions fall under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act and are shielded from external interference.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, on her part, is appealing the N5 million fine imposed on her by the trial court in a contempt ruling linked to a satirical Facebook post made during the proceedings.
She maintains the penalty violates her fundamental rights and has no legal basis.
All the appeals are tied to her originating rights suit, which sought to halt the Senate’s investigation into her conduct.
During Friday’s hearing, Akpabio’s counsel, Eko Ejembi Eko, SAN, withdrew one of the cross-appeals, noting that it had become irrelevant since Akpoti-Uduaghan had already returned to her seat in the Senate.
The court subsequently struck it out.