Disobedience Of Court Order: Senate President, Akpabio, Others Served Form 48

FCT, ABUJA, NIGERIA – President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and others have been Served Form 48 for disobeying a court order as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan commenced her contempt proceedings against the Senate.

The Form 48 was issued by the Federal High Court in the Abuja Judicial Division holden at Abuja in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Clerk of the National Assembly, The Senate, The President of the Senate, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuem, as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Defendants and Contemnors.

In a notice of disobedience of Court Order signed by the Registrar of the Court pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004 and notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of the Court made on 4th March, 2025, the Court urged the Defendants/Contemnors to take notice of their willful disobedience of the Order of the Court given by Justice O.A. Egwuatu J, made on the 4th day of March 2025.

The Court stated that the disobedience rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuem, and the Clerk of the National Assembly liable for contempt of court, for which they may be committed to prison unless they comply with the said order.

The Court further noted that despite being duly served with the enrolled order on the 5th day of March 2025, the Defendants/Contemnors deliberately and contumaciously disregarded its binding directive, proceeding with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of the Court.

Part of the Form 48 states:

“NOTICE OF CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE OF ORDER OF COURT MADE ON 4TH MARCH, 2025.

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriffs and Civil Processes Act, your willful disobedience of the order of this Honourable Court, Coram: Hon. Justice O.A. Egwuatu J, made on the 4th day of March 2025, renders you liable for contempt of court, for which you may be committed to prison unless you comply with the said order.

TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that despite being duly served with the enrolled order on the 5th day of March 2025, you, the Defendants/Contemnors, have deliberately and contumaciously disregarded its binding directive, proceeding with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of this Honourable Court. A copy of the said order is annexed hereto for ease of reference.”

The Court in an enrolled Order upon a Motion Exparte dated 28th February, 2025 but filed on the 3rd day of March, 2025, prayed for the following reliefs:

Substituted Service: An order granting leave to the Plaintiff/Applicant to serve the 2nd Defendant/Respondents with the Originating Summons and all other accompanying Processes on this Suit by substituted means, to wit: by serving the same through the 1st Defendant; Clerk of the National Assembly, or pasting the same on the Premises of the National Assembly, or by publishing the same in two national dailies.

Interim Injunction: An order restraining the 2nd Defendant/Defendant’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, headed by the 4th Defendant, from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff/Applicant for alleged misconduct sequel to the events that occurred at the plenary of the 2nd Defendant on the 20th day of February, 2025, pursuant to the referral by the 2nd Defendant on 25th February, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.

Interlocutory Injunction: An order directing the 1st-4th Defendants to come and show cause why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted against them restraining them from proceeding with the purported investigation against the Plaintiff for alleged misconduct without affecting her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Nullification of Actions: An order declaring that any action taken during the pendency of this Suit is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever among other orders.