Senator Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in Kogi State, north-central Nigeria, has asked the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the country’s highest court, to dismiss an application filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the head of Nigeria’s Senate.
Court papers seen in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, show that Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a counter-affidavit to challenge Akpabio’s move at the Supreme Court. The counter-affidavit, with suit number SC/CV/1111/2025, was sworn to by a Senior Legislative Aide to the senator.
Okay News reports that the filing was made in response to Akpabio’s Motion on Notice dated Wednesday, 21 January 2026, in which he asked the Supreme Court to consider issues linked to the ongoing case.
In the counter-affidavit, the respondents urged the Supreme Court to throw out the application, arguing that it lacked merit and amounted to an “abuse of court process.” They said the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, a key appellate court, had already heard the main appeal and, on Friday, 28 November 2025, reserved the case for judgment.
They argued that approaching the Supreme Court at that stage was an attempt to interfere with a matter still awaiting a decision at the Court of Appeal. The respondents also maintained that Akpabio had adequate opportunity to present his arguments at the lower court.
The filing further stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s brief of argument was properly submitted and was not challenged. It also claimed that while other parties complied with the page limit set by the Court of Appeal Rules 2021, Akpabio’s brief exceeded the 35-page maximum and was not corrected within the period allowed, leading the court to refuse to admit it.
The respondents also argued that the grounds raised in Akpabio’s appeal involved a mix of law and facts and required prior permission from the court, which they said was not obtained. Based on that, they contended that the appeal was not competent.
They also rejected claims that Akpabio was denied fair hearing, saying the Court of Appeal acted within its lawful powers and exercised its discretion properly. According to them, the latest Supreme Court filing is aimed at slowing down the delivery of judgment.
The latest court step follows another Supreme Court move by Akpabio about a week earlier in the same dispute involving Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate, Nigeria’s upper chamber of the National Assembly.
The disagreement began after a plenary sitting in February 2025 that led to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, following a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, a committee that handles discipline and conduct issues among lawmakers.
Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the suspension at the Federal High Court in Abuja, and on Friday, 4 July 2025, the court faulted the action, describing it as excessive and unconstitutional. Although she has since completed the six-month suspension, both sides have continued to fight the matter in court, with Akpabio seeking permission to appeal at the Supreme Court and Akpoti-Uduaghan insisting the suspension was unlawful and breached her right to fair hearing.
