The Federal High Court has confirmed that it has not vacated its earlier order restraining the Senate’s Ethics Committee from investigating Senator Natasha Uduaghan. The court has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, March 25, 2025, to address issues related to contempt of court.
Despite widespread speculation, the court clarified that it never canceled its restraining order that protects Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from an investigation concerning alleged sexual harassment against Senate President Goodwill Akpabio. Instead, the court focused on an application from the Senate filed on March 17, 2025, prioritizing it over the plaintiff’s request for a mandatory injunction.
According to our Judicial Correspondent, the Senate proceeded to hold a hearing and impose a six-month suspension on Senator Uduaghan, despite the court’s ongoing order. The plaintiff’s lawyer, Michael Numa SAN, contested this move, arguing that the Senate’s actions demonstrated contempt for the court’s authority.
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Numa insisted that the Senate should not receive any additional orders from the court it has disrespected. After a brief recess, the judge returned to clarify the scope of the court’s earlier Order 4. The court emphasized that the restraining order was not meant to stop all legislative work but to prevent the investigation into Uduaghan.
To reduce confusion stemming from varied interpretations of the order, the court decided to eliminate some aspects of Order 4 while maintaining its primary ruling. Notably, the court did not cancel Orders 1, 2, or 3, which specifically restrain the Senate’s Ethics Committee from continuing its investigation into the senator’s alleged conduct while the motion for an interlocutory injunction is still pending.
Furthermore, the court maintained its directive for the Senate to respond within 72 hours and upheld the order to keep the status quo. The recent court decision provided necessary clarification on Order 4 due to differing interpretations by the Senate.
The case has been postponed to March 25, 2025, for a full hearing on all pending applications, including the main disagreement about the investigation.
