The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has struck out two motions filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio in the ongoing sexual harassment suit initiated by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, while imposing a ₦100,000 cost against him.
The three-judge panel, led by Justice Hamman Barka, ruled on May 21, 2025, to dismiss the motions following Akpabio’s request to withdraw his appeal in the matter.
The motions, filed in March under case numbers CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025, sought to extend time for appealing a March 10 ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Akpabio’s application aimed to obtain leave to appeal the Federal High Court’s decision in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, which involves Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Clerk of the National Assembly, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuem, as respondents.
Among the reliefs sought were:
Enlargement of the time to file an appeal; Leave to appeal the Federal High Court’s judgment; A stay of proceedings at the High Court pending the appeal.
However, the Court of Appeal’s ruling to strike out the motions and grant their withdrawal effectively puts Akpabio’s bid to challenge the High Court’s judgment on hold, with the financial penalty underscoring the court’s stance on procedural compliance.
The ruling marks a significant development in the high-profile case, which has attracted widespread public and media attention amid ongoing discussions on sexual harassment allegations within Nigeria’s political arena.
