The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order prohibiting all parties involved in the lawsuit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and three others from granting press interviews or making public statements about the case.
The ruling came on Friday after a complaint was raised by Akpabio’s lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), who accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of conducting a media campaign by giving interviews to various television stations about the ongoing legal proceedings.
The case is still pending in court.
Justice Binta Nyako, ruling on the matter, ordered that no party or their legal representatives should comment on the case publicly, particularly through press interviews or media platforms.
“There shall be no press interviews by all parties and their lawyers as regards the subject matter of this case,” she stated, warning that any breach of the order would be considered contempt of court.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed the lawsuit to prevent the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary action against her.
On March 4, Justice Nyako had issued an order restraining the Senate from initiating any disciplinary measures against Akpoti-Uduaghan, following an ex parte application filed by her lawyers.
The judge had directed the defendants to appear within 72 hours of being served the order and explain why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued against them.
Two days after the judgment, however, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over allegations of gross misconduct, a decision that followed the adoption of the report from the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
On March 19, Judge Obiora Egwuatu vacated his earlier order from March 4, lifting the restriction on the Senate’s suspension of the Kogi senator.
Later, on March 25, Egwuatu announced his decision to recuse himself from the case after Akpabio raised an allegation of bias against him.
The case was then transferred to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, for reassignment.
It was subsequently reassigned to Justice Nyako.
The court adjourned the case till May 12.
