The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has struck out two motions filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, ordering him to pay ₦100,000 in costs.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Hamman Barka, delivered the ruling on May 21, 2025, after Akpabio applied to withdraw the motions.
The motions, dated March 3 and March 25, 2025, with suit numbers CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025, respectively, listed Akpabio as the appellant.
His appeal was against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuem, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
Akpabio’s application sought several reliefs, including: “An order of this Honourable Court enlarging the time within which the Appellant/Applicant may seek leave to appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly and 3 Others (Coram: Honourable Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu), delivered on March 10, 2025, on grounds of mixed law and fact as contained in the proposed Notice of Appeal.”
Akpabio requests
He also requested: “An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the Appellant/Applicant to appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court… delivered on March 10, 2025, on grounds of mixed law and fact as contained in the proposed Notice of Appeal attached as Exhibit B.”
In addition, Akpabio asked for “An order enlarging the time within which the Appellant/Applicant may file their Notice of Appeal,” as well as “An order staying further proceedings in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before this Honourable Court.”
Ruling on the matter, the Appeal Court stated: “Application seeking to withdraw the two motions dated and filed on 20/3/2025 and 25/3/2025 is granted and the motions are struck out.”
The court further ruled, “Costs of ₦100,000 are awarded to the 1st Respondent. Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025 to be deleted.”
