A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order stopping the Senate from proceeding with its plan to investigate recent actions of the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The court, presided over by Obiora Egwuatu, issued the order on Tuesday, March 4, consequently blocking the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from deliberating on Akpoti-Udughan’s recent actions at the Red Chamber.
The order followed an ex parte application filed by counsels to Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The ICIR reported on February 20 that during a plenary, Akpoti-Uduaghan caused an uproar at the Senate when she discovered that her seat had been reassigned without prior notice.
She resisted the seat reassignment and argued that it was an attempt to silence her.
The Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, justified the change, citing Senate rules and shifts in party affiliations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s refusal led to a tense confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who ordered the sergeant-at-arms to order her out of the chamber.
Following the seating arrangement dispute, the Senate unanimously voted to refer Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for a disciplinary review.
The committee, led by Neda Imaseun, was tasked with submitting its findings within two weeks.
The ICIR reported that amid the crisis, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio and his aide, Mfon Patrick.
Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed that a Facebook post by Patrick allegedly contained defamatory remarks about her legislative competence and personal appearance.
The lawsuit sought damages and a public apology, claiming the publication harmed her reputation and subjected her to public ridicule.
Meanwhile, speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s “The Morning Show” on Friday, February 28, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of making sexual advances towards her severally, which she said she turned down.
She said her stance towards the advances was the reason for her incessant conflicts with the Senate President at plenaries within the National Assembly Complex.
According to her, some of Akpabio’s love proposals were made with her on the phone and face-to-face in her husband’s presence. She further alleged that she had all the evidence for her claims.
She challenged the State Security Service (SSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA), among others, to probe her allegations.
She also said three other female senators among the 109 lawmakers in the Senate had been quiet about her plight.
According to her, the first time Akpabio made sexual advances to her was a day before her birthday and that of the Senate President, who shares the same birthday with her.
She further alleged that the Senate President made advances towards her when she went to his office in February after failed efforts to get approval to move a motion concerning the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Mill.
She described the situation between her and the Senate President as a situation where a university lecturer kept failing a student because she refused to sleep with him.
A reporter with the ICIR
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