ABUJA, Nigeria — The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has struck out two motions filed by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and awarded costs of ₦100,000 against him in favour of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the first respondent in the matter.
A certified true copy of the court’s ruling, obtained by PUNCH Online on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, reveals that a three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Hamman Barka, issued the ruling on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, after Akpabio formally requested to withdraw the appeal.
The motions, filed on Thursday, March 20 and Tuesday, March 25, 2025, and marked CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025 respectively, listed Akpabio as appellant and named as respondents Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
Akpabio had sought several reliefs in the appeal, including leave to file an appeal against a Federal High Court judgment delivered on March 10, 2025, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu in a case brought by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Clerk of the National Assembly and others.
Specifically, the Senate President asked the appellate court for:
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An extension of time to seek leave to appeal the High Court’s decision;
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Leave to appeal the judgment on grounds of mixed law and fact;
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An extension of time to file a notice of appeal;
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And a stay of proceedings in the ongoing case pending the outcome of his appeal.
However, in the ruling, the Court of Appeal granted the application to withdraw the motions but struck them out and imposed a financial penalty.
“Application seeking to withdraw the two motions dated and filed on 20/3/2025 and 25/3/2025 is granted and the motions are struck out,” the panel ruled.
“Costs of ₦100,000 are awarded to the 1st Respondent. Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025 to be deleted.”
The decision marks a procedural setback for Senator Akpabio, who had sought to challenge the Federal High Court’s ruling in the case initiated by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
