In a dramatic legal twist, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has recused himself from a case involving suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The judge made the announcement on Tuesday, citing a petition from Senate President Godswill Akpabio that questioned his impartiality.
Justice Egwuatu had been set to hear the suit filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan against her suspension from the Senate. However, when the court clerk called the case, he declared that he would no longer preside over it. Instead, he would return the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment to another judge.
This development follows Justice Egwuatu’s March 4 ruling, in which he issued an interim order preventing the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary actions against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
She was accused of violating Senate rules, but the judge ruled that the committee could not continue its investigation until the case was resolved.
The judge also directed the defendants to justify, within 72 hours, why the court should not permanently bar them from investigating the senator without adhering to constitutional provisions, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
Furthermore, he allowed the senator to serve legal documents through substituted means, including delivery to the Clerk of the National Assembly, posting at the National Assembly premises, and publication in two national newspapers.
Despite the court’s directive, the Senate Committee proceeded with its deliberations and suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months. Subsequently, upon a request from the defendants, Justice Egwuatu modified his initial ruling, removing the clause that barred the Senate from taking any action while the case was ongoing.
Meanwhile, Senate President Akpabio’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kehinde Ogunwumiju, has challenged the court’s authority to interfere in Senate proceedings.
With Justice Egwuatu stepping aside, the fate of the case now rests in the hands of a yet-to-be-assigned judge, setting the stage for further legal and political maneuvering in this high-profile dispute.