Court Adjourns Natasha’s Suit Against Senate Ethics Committee

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, March 10, adjourned the hearing of a suit filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu adjourned the matter after respondents informed the court that they were yet to be duly served with the necessary documents on the matter.

Egwuatu, on March 5, barred the senate committee from taking disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central.

The judge granted the order following an ex parte application filed by her legal team.

In a ruling, the judge stopped the Senate from proceeding with any disciplinary measures against Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged misconduct at the Senate.

Although the committee went ahead with its sitting, Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to appear before it.

The committee, on the conclusion of its investigation, recommended a suspension for the Kogi Senator to the leadership of the Senate.

Following the recommendation, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months.

At Monday’s proceedings, the respondents, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Nigerian Senate, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and the chairman of the ethics committee, through their respective counsel, informed the court that they had not been served the necessary documents.

Justice Egwuatu, therefore, ordered that the defendants be served with the documents and adjourned proceedings till March 25.

The Kogi Senator had filed a suit at the court after she received an invitation to appear before the committee over the heated exchange between herself and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on February 20.

Following the exchange, the Senate moved a motion that she be referred to the Senate Ethics Committee for probe.

Meanwhile, Akpoti-Uduaghan, in a recent interview with ARISE TV, accused Akpabio of making inappropriate advances toward her.

She claimed that after rejecting his alleged advances, her motions in the Senate, particularly those related to the Ajaokuta Steel Company, were repeatedly ignored.

In the motion filed through her lawyer, Sanusi Musa, the Senator urged the court to declare any action taken during the pendency of her suit as “null, void, and of no effect.”

Court Adjourns Natasha’s Suit Against Senate Ethics Committee is first published on The Whistler Newspaper