The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear a contempt case filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Tuesday, over an alleged breach of a court order through a social media post.
Justice Binta Nyako adjourned the matter until noon on Tuesday, confirming that she would also hear a separate contempt charge earlier filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan against Akpabio, the Senate, and other parties for allegedly disobeying a previous court order.
“I want a copy of the Senate rules as well.
I will take you tomorrow. I am going to clear the diary,” Justice Nyako said during the proceedings.
The judge had on April 4 issued a directive barring all parties involved in the case from granting media interviews or making social media posts related to the matter.
This order came after Akpabio’s legal counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), complained that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had been speaking to the media about the case.
Akpabio later filed a motion alleging that the senator had violated the court’s order by posting a satirical letter on her Facebook page.
In a separate move, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed her own contempt application against the Senate leadership for allegedly suspending her, despite an earlier ruling by Justice Obiora Egwuatu restraining any action until the case is fully resolved.
She named the Clerk of the National Assembly, Akpabio, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuen — Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions — as the first to fourth defendants in the suit.