Senate President Godswill Akpabio has approached the Supreme Court over the legal dispute arising from the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Court documents dated December 1, 2025, and obtained by The Telegraph on Sunday, confirm that Akpabio has filed a Notice of Appeal at the apex court.
The move follows a recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which struck out the Federal Government’s brief of argument in the appeal challenging Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.
In its ruling, the appellate court held that the brief was incompetent for failing to comply with mandatory provisions of the Court of Appeal Rules relating to formatting and procedure.
Although Akpabio publicly claimed that the brief was struck out “illegally,” certified records of proceedings obtained by The Telegraph showed that the court based its decision strictly on established legal requirements.
The justices found multiple breaches of the rules, including the use of incorrect font size and line spacing, exceeding the 35-page limit, and failing to obtain leave of court to depart from prescribed procedures.
The court also ruled that the Notice of Appeal itself was defective, holding that the violations were substantive and went to the competence of the appeal, leading to the brief being struck out in its entirety.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Akpabio has now asked the Supreme Court to set aside the decision.
His decision to personally pursue the appeal has attracted public attention, with some legal and political observers describing it as unusual for a sitting Senate President.
Sources within the National Assembly said Akpabio had been closely monitoring the case and showing keen interest in its outcome, raising concerns in some quarters of the legal community.
The legal battle has also been shaped by long-standing political tension between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The first-term senator has gained prominence for her outspoken criticism of Senate leadership, a stance insiders say has unsettled the Senate President.
“This matter has clearly gone beyond the courtroom. It has become a political contest for relevance and dominance,” a National Assembly source said.
There are also claims within ruling party circles that powerful interests expect the Senate President to rein in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s growing political profile.
In his Notice of Appeal, Akpabio argued that the Court of Appeal violated his right to a fair hearing by refusing to grant leave to regularise the defective brief or permit an extension beyond the page limit.
He urged the Supreme Court to nullify the proceedings of November 28, 2025, set aside the judgment, and allow him to refile his brief in compliance with the rules.
Meanwhile, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team has confirmed being served with the Supreme Court documents.
While expressing confidence in the judiciary, her lawyers described the appeal as a desperate attempt to overturn a lawful decision.
“Yes, we have been served. This is just another needless misadventure that will lead nowhere,” one of her lawyers told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity.
The Telegraph recalls that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months in March 2025 following a protest over the relocation of her seat during plenary.
She accused Akpabio of targeting her and at one point described him as a “dictator.”
Although the suspension elapsed in September, she was unable to resume immediately due to ongoing legal proceedings and resistance from Senate leadership.
Her office was later reopened by officials of the Sergeant-at-Arms, after which she returned to the Senate, insisting she had “no apology to tender.”
With both parties now headed to the Supreme Court, the dispute has once again drawn intense public attention.
