From Godwin Tsa Abuja
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has restrained parties involved in the suit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and three others from granting press interviews on the matter.
Justice Binta Nyako made the ruling on Friday after Akpabio’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), complained that the plaintiff had been visiting multiple television stations and granting interviews on the matter despite the case being pending in court.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako stated that there would be no press interviews by any of the parties or their lawyers regarding the case. Additionally, she prohibited the parties and their lawyers from streaming court proceedings on social media.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed a suit to stop the Senate committee on ethics and public petitions from instituting disciplinary proceedings against her.
On March 4, Justice Obiora Egwuatu issued an order restraining the senate from commencing disciplinary proceedings against Akpoti-Uduaghan following an ex parte application filed by counsels to the senator.
The judge ruled that the defendants should come and show cause within 72 hours, upon the service of the order, why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued against them.
Two days after the judgment, the Senate suspended the Kogi senator for six months over alleged gross misconduct. The decision followed the adoption of the report by the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions. On March 19, Obiora Egwuatu, presiding judge, vacated his March 4 order restraining the Senate from suspending the Kogi senator.
But in a dramatic twist, Justice Egwuatu on March 25, announced his decision to recuse himself from the case after taking the appearance of lawyers for the parties in the suit.
Egwuatu disclosed that his decision was because of an allegation of bias against him by Akpabio.
He ordered that the case file be transferred to John Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, for reassignment. The case was then reassigned to Nyako.