In a decisive legal blow to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday struck out two motions he filed challenging the suspension lawsuit instituted by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The three-member panel of Justices—Hamma Barka, Adebukunola Banjoko, and Okon Abang—unanimously ruled to strike out the appeals dated 20th and 25th March 2025 following a formal application by Akpabio’s legal team to withdraw the motions.
In addition to striking out the motions, the court awarded ₦100,000 in damages to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, the 1st respondent in the case. The appellate court also directed that Appeal No: CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025 be removed from its records.
The Senate President had approached the appellate court with four key requests:
An order to extend time to seek leave to appeal the March 10, 2025 ruling of the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
A request for permission to appeal the High Court’s decision.
An extension of time to file a Notice of Appeal.
A stay of further proceedings in the suit pending the outcome of the appeal.
However, the voluntary withdrawal of the motions meant all the reliefs sought were rendered null, effectively halting Akpabio’s appellate challenge—at least for now.
The ruling marked a significant legal victory for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in the controversial case stemming from what she maintained was an unlawful suspension from the Senate.
Legal analysts suggest that Monday’s appellate decision strengthens Senator Natasha’s position as she continues to contest the legality and political motivations surrounding her suspension.