The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has taken his legal battle over the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a ruling by the Court of Appeal that struck out the Federal Government’s brief of argument.
Vanguard reported that Akpabio’s legal team is asking the Supreme Court to intervene in what it described as a defective decision by the appellate court against the Senate President.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had ruled that Akpabio’s brief was fundamentally defective and incompetent, citing failure to comply with mandatory provisions of the Court of Appeal Rules.
The appellate court also faulted the brief for multiple procedural violations, including unauthorised font size and line spacing, exceeding the 35-page limit, and failure to seek leave to regularise the defects.
Akpabio’s move to the Supreme Court followed the Appeal Court’s ruling that the infractions were not minor technical lapses but substantive breaches that went to the competence of the appeal.
The Senate President is arguing that the Court of Appeal violated his constitutional right to fair hearing by refusing to grant leave to correct the defective brief or allow him to exceed the page limit.
The dispute has fuelled speculation about political undertones surrounding the case, with some observers describing it as more than a legal disagreement, but a struggle for authority and control within the Senate.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team has expressed confidence in the judiciary, saying the Supreme Court appeal represents a last-ditch effort to overturn a decision reached in accordance with the law.
Multiple sources within the Senate say the matter reflects deeper tensions between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose relationship has reportedly been strained for months.
The Kogi Central senator, a first-term lawmaker, has drawn national attention for her assertive posture and willingness to challenge Senate leadership, a profile that some insiders believe unsettles the existing power structure within the chamber and the ruling party.
A senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said: “This is no longer just a legal disagreement. It has become a struggle over authority and control.”
