By Atoyebi Nike
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has struck out two motions filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and awarded ₦100,000 in costs to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the first respondent in the suit.
A three-member panel led by Justice Hamman Barka ruled on May 21, 2025, that the motions—filed on March 20 and March 25 and marked CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025—be struck out following Akpabio’s request to withdraw the appeal.
The motions sought leave to appeal a Federal High Court decision delivered on March 10, 2025, in a case between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
Akpabio had requested the appellate court to grant him: Leave to appeal the High Court’s judgment on grounds of mixed law and fact, an extension of time to file his notice of appeal and a stay of proceedings in the ongoing High Court case
But in its ruling, the Appeal Court stated:
“Application seeking to withdraw the two motions dated and filed on 20/3/2025 and 25/3/2025 is granted, and the motions are struck out. Costs of ₦100,000 are awarded to the 1st Respondent. Appeal No. CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025 to be deleted.”
