Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to hear the suit brought before it by the suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Akpabio, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), queried the powers of the court to meddle in the affairs of the Senate.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, Ogunwumiju (SAN), noted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan, was yet to effect proper service of the court processes on the Senate president, to enable him file the necessary application to challenge the court’s competence.
Aside from Akpabio, who was cited as the third defendant in the matter, equally joined in the suit are the clerk to the National Assembly, the Senate, and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Sen. Neda Imasuen.
Meanwhile, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), maintained that all the parties were duly served, drawing the attention of the court to affidavits of service that are already in its record.
After going through the affidavits of service before the court, Justice Obiora Egwatu, confirmed that all the defendants were served.
At that juncture, Akpabio’s counsel prayed the court to grant a short adjournment, for all the processes to be harmonised.
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Following the agreement of all the lawyers, Justice Egwuatu adjourned the matter to March 25, even as he ordered the parties to file, and exchange all the necessary processes before the date.
It will be recalled that the court had on March 4, issued an interim order, stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from going ahead with the disciplinary proceeding that was initiated against Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan.
However, despite the order of the court, the Senate committee held its sitting, and slammed the plaintiff with a six- month suspension.
The plaintiff is among other things, praying the court to declare any action the Senate committee took within the pendency of her suit, as null, void, and of no effect.
