Abuja
Senate President Akpabio Appeals Judgement On Natasha Akpoti’s Suspension
Senate President Akpabio Appeals Judgement On Natasha Akpoti’s Suspension
Senate President Akpabio appeals judgement on Natasha Akpoti’s suspension. Senate President Godswill Akpabio has filed an appeal seeking to overturn a federal high court judgement which directed the senate to lift the suspension imposed on Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central.
The notice of appeal, dated July 14, 2025, was filed at the Abuja division of the court of appeal.
Akpabio is challenging the July 4 ruling delivered by Binta Nyako, which described the six-month suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan as “overreaching” and in violation of her constituents’ right to representation.
While the court acknowledged the senate’s constitutional authority to discipline its members, Nyako held that the length and nature of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension were excessive. The court also imposed a ₦5 million fine on the senator for contempt, citing a satirical Facebook post made during the proceedings that allegedly breached an earlier restraining order.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed her own appeal, contesting the contempt ruling on jurisdictional grounds. She argued that the trial court lacked the authority to entertain a contempt charge based on conduct that occurred ex facie curiae — that is, outside the courtroom.
Akpabio’s legal team, in a cross-appeal, has also challenged the jurisdiction of the federal high court. They argued that the matter involves internal parliamentary affairs, which are beyond judicial scrutiny under Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.
In his 11-ground appeal, Akpabio faulted the trial court for dismissing his preliminary objection and making pronouncements that, in his view, intrude on the legislative autonomy guaranteed under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
He contended that parliamentary procedures, including suspensions, utterances during plenary, and senate resolutions, are shielded from judicial interference.
The appeal further argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suit was premature, as it failed to exhaust internal mechanisms, notably the senate committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions, as required by the Senate Standing Orders (2023, as amended).
Senate President Akpabio Appeals Judgement On Natasha
Akpabio also accused the trial judge of denying him a fair hearing by raising and deciding on issues such as whether the suspension was excessive, that either party did not canvas. He described this as a breach of judicial neutrality.
In addition, the appeal criticised the court for merging interlocutory reliefs with substantive claims, a move Akpabio’s lawyers said violated legal procedure.
They also argued that the suit should have been struck out for failure to comply with Section 21 of the Legislative Houses Act, which mandates a three-month pre-action notice to the clerk of the national assembly before instituting legal proceedings.
Akpabio is asking the appellate court to allow his appeal, set aside the judgement of the federal high court, and affirm the senate’s disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
FCTA Confirms Antivenom Stock, Warns Negligent Hospitals, Gives Emergency Lines
FCTA confirms antivenom stock, warns negligent hospitals, gives emergency lines. The FCTA said all public hFCTA confirms antivenom stock, warns negligent hospitals, gives emergency linesospitals have sufficient antivenom after singer Ifunanya Nwangene’s death at FMC Jabi. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe warned facilities to follow protocols or face sanctions, stressing that early treatment is critical.
FCTA
The territory has added 12 ambulances, improved ICUs, and centralized antivenom storage.
Residents are urged to use emergency lines 090157892931 or 090157892932.
FCT Police Warn NLC Against Planned Abuja Protest, Say Proscribed Groups Plot To Hijack
FCT Police warn NLC against planned Abuja protest, say proscribed groups plot to hijack. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command has warned the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against its planned protest scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The NLC leadership had fixed February 3 for a solidarity rally along with members of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) secretariat in Garki Area 11.
The NLC declared that the rally is to publicly affirm that “an injury to one is an injury to all”, adding that the Nigerian labour movement will not abandon its members.
On January 24, the labour body declared support for the indefinite strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), describing the action as “necessary and heroic” in response to alleged violation of workers’ rights.
In a statement, Joe Ajaero, NLC president, said the labour union stood “in very strong solidarity” with FCTA workers under the aegis of JUAC.
Ajaero described the strike as “a necessary and heroic response to a vicious cocktail of neoliberal attacks, gross administrative impunity, and a systematic violation of the fundamental rights of workers by the FCTA management and its political leadership”.
However, in a statement on Monday, Josephine Adeh, FCT police spokesperson, said the command respects the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, but noted that intelligence reports indicate “plans by proscribed groups and other non-state actors to infiltrate and hijack the protest, posing a risk to public peace and safety”.
Adeh said in the interest of public safety, the organisers should consider rescheduling the protest to prevent any breakdown of law and order and to protect lives, property, and the rights of other residents.
Police
“The Command remains committed to safeguarding all lawful activities and urges residents to continue cooperating with security agencies to keep the FCT peaceful and secure,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the national industrial court has reportedly issued an interim order restraining the NLC, TUC and JUAC from embarking on the planned protest.
The court had earlier ordered workers on the payroll of the FCT administration to suspend the strike.
Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, held that although the matter before the court amounted to a trade dispute, the defendants’ right to embark on industrial action was not absolute.
Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting, Warn Against Tampering With State’s Oil Wells
Akwa Ibom indigenes protest RMAFC meeting, warn against tampering with State’s Oil Wells. Akwa Ibom indigenes resident in Abuja on Tuesday stormed the venue of a meeting of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), where the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) on Disputed/New Oil Wells was sitting, to protest what they described as attempts to reopen a matter already settled by the Supreme Court.
The protesters cautioned that no individual or agency should tamper with Akwa Ibom State’s 76 oil wells, stressing that the ownership of the wells was conclusively determined in favour of the state by the Supreme Court in 2012.
They insisted that any move to revisit the issue through administrative or technical processes would amount to a disregard for the authority of the apex court and could undermine peace in the Niger Delta region.
Akwa Ibom State was formally represented at the IATC meeting by a high-powered delegation comprising leading legal practitioners, government officials and technocrats. Members of the delegation included Paul Usoro, SAN; Assam Assam, SAN; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, SAN; Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN; Emmanuel Enoidem, SAN; and a former Attorney-General of Akwa Ibom State.
Akwa Ibom Indigenes Protest RMAFC Meeting
Also on the state’s delegation were the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Emem Bob, Former Attorney General and Commissioner Justice, Barr. Ekpenyong Ntekim; the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah; Honourable Member representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, Dr Patrick Umoh, among others.
The delegation is expected to present Akwa Ibom State’s position before the committee, reiterating that the Supreme Court judgment remains final and binding, and urging all relevant federal agencies to respect and uphold the ruling.
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