Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has stepped down from presiding over the case involving suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. His decision was prompted by a petition from Senate President Godswill Akpabio who questioned the judge’s impartiality in handling the matter.
When the case was called in court, Justice Egwuatu announced his recusal, stating that the case file would be returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment to another judge. This development follows an interim order the judge had previously issued, which halted the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with disciplinary action against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The disciplinary action stemmed from allegations that the senator had violated the rules of the legislative house. Justice Egwuatu had ruled that the process should be put on hold until the lawsuit was resolved. He also directed the defendants to justify why an order of interlocutory injunction should not be granted to prevent them from investigating the senator without adhering to constitutional and legislative procedures.
Despite the court order, the Senate Committee proceeded with its disciplinary hearing, ultimately suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months. Following this, Justice Egwuatu modified his initial order, removing restrictions that prevented the Senate from carrying out activities related to the case.
Senate President Akpabio, through his legal team, contested the court’s authority to intervene in Senate affairs. This challenge, along with concerns about his objectivity raised in Akpabio’s petition, led Justice Egwuatu to withdraw from the case, paving the way for a new judge to take over.
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