Judge recuses self from Sen. Natasha’s suit against Akpabio, others

 Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, recused himself from the suit filed by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and others, to stop her investigation by the Senate over alleged misconduct.

Justice Egwuatu announced his withdrawal from the case over allegations of bias levelled against the court by the 3rd defendant (Akpabio) in the matter.

The judge subsequently ordered that the case file be remitted back to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment.

Supreme news reports that Justice Egwuatu had, on March 19, set aside its order of March 4, declaring the suspension of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate as null and void.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a ruling, vacated the suit after listening to the arguments of counsel for the plaintiff and lawyers to the defendants in the suit.

It was observes that though the court had earlier fixed today for the hearing of the matter, March 19 was however, rescheduled to take the motion on notice filed by the Senate (2nd defendant) to seek for the order vacating the March 4 order which declared any action taken by the defendants during the pendency of the suit as null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

The judge had granted Natasha’s five reliefs on March 4, including Order Number Four which declared any action taken by the defendants during the pendency of the suit as null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

The judge granted the five prayers after Sanusi Musa, SAN, who appeared for Natasha, moved the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.

Natasha, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, had, in the motion ex-parte, sued clerk of the National Assembly (NASS) and the Senate as 1st and 2nd defendants.

She also named the President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Sen. Neda Imasuem, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct as 3rd and 4th defendants respectively.

The senator had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the Senate’s committee headed by Imasuem from proceeding with the purported investigation against her for alleged misconduct sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary on Feb. 20, pursuant to the referral by the Senate on Feb. 25, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction, among others.

However, the Senate, in a motion on notice filed on March 17 by its lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, had sought an order setting aside Order Number Four in the enrolled ex-parte order made by Justice Egwuatu against the defendants in Natasha’s suit.