ABUJA, Nigeria – Federal High Court judge Obiora Egwuatu has announced his recusal from a suit filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, following an allegation of bias against him by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The senator had filed the suit to stop the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary actions against her.
The judge disclosed his decision on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, citing the claim of bias, which stemmed from Akpabio’s objections.
The case, which has attracted significant attention, concerns the Senate’s decision to institute disciplinary proceedings against Akpoti-Uduaghan after she made accusations of sexual harassment against the Senate President.
On March 4, 2025, Egwuatu had issued an order restraining the Senate from proceeding with disciplinary action against the senator following an ex parte application made by her legal counsel.
However, just two days later, the Senate voted to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, a decision that followed the adoption of the committee’s report.
As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan was required to hand over her office and Senate properties to the Clerk of the National Assembly.
After considering the allegations of bias and taking appearances from the lawyers of the parties involved, Egwuatu decided to recuse himself from the case.
He ordered that the case file be transferred to Chief Judge John Tsoho for reassignment to another judge.
The defendants in the suit include the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics.
The court had previously ordered the defendants to show cause within 72 hours why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued against them.
On March 19, 2025, Egwuatu also vacated the earlier order that had restrained the Senate from suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan, allowing the disciplinary action to proceed.
The case will now be heard by a different judge following Egwuatu’s recusal.
