Okehi, Kogi State, April 1, 2025 – Suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of orchestrating the withdrawal of a judge from her lawsuit seeking to overturn her suspension from the Senate. Akpoti-Uduaghan claims Akpabio petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) against Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Abuja Federal High Court, leading to his recusal from the case.
Background
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been embroiled in a dispute with the Senate, particularly with Senate President Akpabio, since accusing him of sexual harassment and subsequently facing suspension. On March 4, Justice Egwuatu initially issued an interim order halting the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary actions against Akpoti-Uduaghan. However, he later withdrew from the case.
Allegations of Interference
Addressing her supporters in her hometown of Okehi, Kogi State, Akpoti-Uduaghan stated, "Justice Egwuatu was supposed to sit, take all the pleadings and decide, which I believe would have been in our favor, and that means we would have had the suspension quashed, and I would have resumed duties at the senate."
She alleges that Akpabio's actions directly influenced the judge's decision: "But what happened, as soon as the judge resumed he recused himself from the case. And why was that, the moment the case was assigned to him, the Senate President wrote a petition to the NJC and DSS against the judge."
Concerns About Judicial Integrity
Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed concerns about the potential for undue influence within the judiciary: "And we all know why, maybe the judge refused to play [the] game and that’s why they refused to take him out." She lamented that even well-intentioned judges can face harassment to compromise their integrity. "Even though we say the judiciary is corrupt, there are some good judges but they get harassed to do bad things," she stated.
The withdrawal of Justice Egwuatu has further complicated Akpoti-Uduaghan's legal battle against the Senate. She is now faced with seeking a new judge to hear her case, a process that could be lengthy and uncertain.
The accusations of interference by Akpabio, if proven, could raise serious questions about the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Nigeria. The situation continues to draw attention and scrutiny from legal and political observers alike.