Sexual Harassment: Senator Natasha Akpoti Files Contempt Charge Against Senate President, Akpabio, Others Over Suspension
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a contempt charge against Senate President Godswill Akpabio following her six-month suspension by the Senate.
The charge, submitted at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also names the Clerk of the National Assembly and Senator Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct.
Akpoti-Uduaghan contends that her suspension violates a court order issued on March 4, which explicitly barred the Senate from taking such action against her.
In response, the court issued a notice under Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, warning that defying its directive could lead to imprisonment for the defendants.
According to the court document, the defendants “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the ruling, despite being formally served an enrolled copy of the interim injunction on March 5.
The injunction had been issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu following an ex-parte application by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Michael Numa.
It restrained the Senate Committee from proceeding with its investigation into allegations of misconduct against the senator regarding her conduct during the February 20 plenary session.
The court further ordered the defendants to explain why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued to prevent any disciplinary action that could infringe on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legislative privileges.
It also declared that any decision taken against her while the case remains unresolved would be null and void.
Justice Egwuatu permitted Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve court documents through alternative means, including delivering them to the Clerk of the National Assembly, pasting them at the National Assembly premises, or publishing them in two national newspapers.
The court document read in part:
“Take notice that pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriffs and Civil Processes Act, your wilful disobedience of the order of this Honourable Court, Coram: Hon. Justice O.A. Egwuatu J, made on 4th day of March 2025, renders you liable for contempt of court, for which you may be committed to prison unless you comply with the said order.
Take further notice that despite being duly served with the enrolled order on the 5th Day of March 2025, you, the defendants/contemnors, have deliberately and contumaciously disregarded its binding directive, proceeding with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of this Honourable Court. A copy of the said order is annexed hereto for ease of reference.
The court in an enrolled order upon a motion exparte dated 28th February, 2025 but filed on the 3rd day of March, 2025 coming before the Honourable Court on the 4th day of March, 2025, prayed for the following reliefs: An order of this honourable court granting leave to the plaintiff/applicant to serve the 2nd defendant/respondents with the originating summons and all other accompanying processes on this suit by substituted means to wit: by serving same through the 1st Defendant; Clerk of the National Assembly or Pasting same on the Premises of the National Assembly or by publishing same on two national dailies.
An order of this honourable court granting an interim injunction restraining the 2nd defendant/defendant’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct headed by the 4th defendant from proceeding with the purported investigation against the plaintiff/applicant for alleged misconduct sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary of the 2nd Defendant on the 20th day of February, 2025, pursuant to the referral by the 2nd Defendant on 25th February, 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.
An order of this honourable court directing the 1st -4th Defendants to come and show cause; why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them restraining them from proceeding with purported investigation against the Plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affecting her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023 and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
An order of this honourable court declaring that any action taken during the pendency of this Suit is null, void and of no effect whatsoever among others.”
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In response, Senate President Akpabio has challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing that it lacks authority over internal legislative matters. The case is set for further hearing on March 25.
We earlier reported that Natasha was last week slammed with a six-month suspension without pay following allegations of sexual harassment she leveled against the Senate President.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 after a heated confrontation with Akpabio over a new Senate seating arrangement, which she claimed was designed to undermine her.
Tensions intensified when Akpoti-Uduaghan, on national television, accused Akpabio of punishing her for not giving in to his sexual advances towards her.