The Federal High Court in Abuja will on Tuesday hear two separate contempt charges filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against each other.
The court proceedings follow accusations that both lawmakers violated an earlier court order that barred them from making media statements or social media posts related to a pending case.
Justice Binta Nyako, who is presiding over the matter, adjourned the hearing until 12:00 p.m. Tuesday and requested a copy of the Senate rules, saying she would clear her schedule to address both cases.
The dispute began after Akpabio’s lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of disobeying a court order issued on April 4. He claimed she granted interviews and posted a satirical letter on her Facebook page, despite the judge’s warning against public commentary.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan also filed a contempt charge, alleging that Akpabio and the Senate suspended her in violation of an earlier ruling by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, which had barred any action until the matter was resolved in court.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawsuit lists the Clerk of the National Assembly, Senate President Akpabio, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuen—chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct—as the first to fourth defendants.