The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has escalated the legal dispute surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a decision of the Court of Appeal which struck out the Federal Government’s brief of argument in the matter.
It was learnt in Abuja on Tuesday that the Senate President’s legal team is requesting the intervention of the apex court over what it described as a flawed decision by the appellate court against Akpabio.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had ruled that the brief filed by Akpabio was fundamentally defective and incompetent, citing non-compliance with mandatory provisions of the Court of Appeal Rules.
The appellate court also criticised the brief for several procedural breaches, including the use of an unauthorised font size and line spacing, exceeding the permitted 35-page limit, and failing to seek leave of court to regularise the identified defects.
Akpabio’s decision to approach the Supreme Court followed the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the violations were not mere technical errors but substantive infractions that affected the competence of the appeal.
The Senate President contends that the Court of Appeal infringed on his constitutional right to a fair hearing by declining to grant permission to amend the defective brief or allow him to exceed the stipulated page limit.
The case has sparked speculation about possible political undertones, with some observers describing it not merely as a clash of personalities but a contest over authority and control within the Senate.
The legal team representing Akpoti-Uduaghan has expressed confidence in the judiciary, describing the Supreme Court appeal as a final attempt to overturn a decision that was reached in line with the law.
Several sources within the Senate have maintained that the dispute highlights deeper tensions between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan, noting that their relationship has remained strained for several months.
The senator representing Kogi Central, who is serving her first term, has drawn national attention for her assertive posture and readiness to challenge Senate leadership, a profile that some insiders say has unsettled the existing power structure within the chamber and the ruling party.
A senator who spoke anonymously due to fear of reprisals said, “This is no longer just a legal disagreement,” adding, “It has become a struggle over authority and control.”
Legal analysts have described the Court of Appeal’s ruling as a significant blow to the Senate President, noting that it resulted from avoidable procedural lapses rather than the substantive merits of the case.
The setback, which arose from non-compliance with requirements such as formatting rules and page limits, has further fuelled speculation that the move to the Supreme Court is largely aimed at managing political fallout.
