Natasha’s suit against Akpabio: Judge withdraws from case … Gives reason

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, the Judge presiding over the suit filled by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has stepped down from handling the case.

National Beam gathered that Justice Egwuatu announced his withdrawal from the case over allegations of bias levelled against the court by one of the defendant in the matter.

This was the outcome of the Tuesday proceedings which the case was adjourned to after the last session on March 4, 2025.

We also learnt the Judge announced his decision to withdraw from the case after taking the appearance of the lawyers for the parties in the suit.

According to the report from Business Day, the judge in his ruling stated, “Justice is rooted in confidence in the court. Once a litigant expresses his belief that there is bias or likelihood of bias on the part of the judge, it will not be in the interest of justice for the judge to continue.

“One of the defendants in this matter has expressed such belief in writing. In that circumstance, the honourable thing for the court to do is to desist from the conduct of the matter. Accordingly, I recuse myself from this matter. The case file is accordingly forwarded to my lord, the chief judge, for further directive.”

We further gathered from News Agency of Nigeria, NAN that though the court had earlier fixed today for the hearing of the matter, March 19 was however, rescheduled to take the motion on notice filed by the Senate (2nd defendant) to seek for the order vacating the March 4 order which declared any action taken by the defendants during the pendency of the suit as null, void and of no effect whatsoever.

NAN reports that Justice Egwuatu, on that March 19, set aside its order of March 4, declaring the suspension of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate as null and void.

This he reconfirmed today during the proceedings as he urged the court to hold that the entire proceedings of March 4 upon which that breach occured was in nullity.

The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, lists as defendants the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuem.