Akpabio heads to Supreme Court over Appeal Court ruling in Akpoti-Uduaghan case
Akpabio heads to Supreme Court over Appeal Court ruling in Akpoti-Uduaghan case
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a ruling of the Court of Appeal arising from legal proceedings connected to the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The appeal follows a decision by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which declined to entertain a brief of argument filed in the matter on the grounds of non-compliance with the provisions of the Court of Appeal Rules.
Media reports indicate that the ruling was delivered in late November 2025, with 28 November 2025 widely cited as the date of the decision. The reports state that the appellate court struck out the brief after finding it procedurally defective.
According to those reports, the court held that the brief failed to comply with prescribed requirements on formatting and length under the Court of Appeal Rules and that no application was filed seeking leave of court to regularise the defects. The court was also reported to have found procedural irregularities affecting the competence of the appeal.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Akpabio has now filed an appeal before the Supreme Court. In his notice of appeal, the Senate President contends that the Court of Appeal denied him the right to fair hearing by declining to grant leave to amend the defective processes or permit any departure from the procedural requirements.
The Senate President is asking the apex court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal and allow the appeal to be heard on the merits upon compliance with the applicable rules.
Reacting to the development, the legal team of the Kogi Central senator who gained prominence for challenging the Senate leadership, expressed confidence in the judicial process, while reiterating her commitment to due process.
The Supreme Court is expected to determine whether the appellate court was right to strike out the processes or whether the appellant ought to have been allowed to regularise the defects.
The outcome of the appeal will determine the next steps in the legal dispute arising from the suspension of the Kogi Central senator.
