The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to hear the contempt charge filed by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, against the suspended Kogi central senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over an alleged social media post in breach of a gag order.
The judge, Binta Nyako, who adjourned the matter until noon on Tuesday, said she would first hear the earlier contempt charge filed by Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan against Mr Akpabio, the Senate and others over allegations of disobedience to an earlier court order.
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“I want a copy of the Senate rules as well,” the judge said, adding that she would clear her diary for Tuesday for the matter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs Nyako had, on April 4, restrained all parties to the suit filed by Mrs Akpoti-Udughan from granting media interviews or engaging in social media posts In respect of the subject matter before the court.
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The development followed a complaint by Mr Akpabio’s lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had allegedly been going from one media station to another, granting press interviews on issues relating to the suit.
However, late last month, Mrs Akpoti-Natasha mocked Mr Akpabio with a satirical apology posted on her official Facebook page.
In the letter, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan sarcastically apologised for her “crime of maintaining dignity and self-respect” in the Senate.
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She said success in the Senate under Mr Akpabio’s leadership seemed to depend not on merit, but on compliance with personal demands.
“It is with the deepest sarcasm and utmost theatrical regret that I tender this apology for the grievous crime of possessing dignity and self-respect in your most exalted presence,” she wrote.
In the aftermath of the post, Mr Akpabio’s legal team filed an application in court, accusing Mrs Akpoti-Natasha of breaching the gag order banning interviews and such a social media post while the case in court lasted.
However, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is serving a six-month suspension from the Senate over an alleged misconduct that arose from an altercation he had with Mr Akpabio over seat allocation in February, has countered the application, urging the court to dismiss it.
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The suspended senator’s legal team, led by Jubril Okutepa, argued that her post did not violate the court order and was instead a way to protest her alleged unfair suspension from the senate. They also wrote that the senate president’s motion was an attempt to harass and intimidate her for expressing herself.
In the early stage of the case, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a contempt charge against Mr Akpabio and other defendants for suspending her in contravention with the order given by the former presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu. According to her, her suspension by the senate violated the restraining order asking them to pause the disciplinary process pending the hearing and determination of her case.
The embattled senator, who accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment (a charge he has denied), sued the Clerk of the National Assembly (NASS), Mr Akpabio, the Senate and Neda Imasuem, the chairperson, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct.
(NAN)
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