- Safiu Kehinde
Embattled Nigerian lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has again dragged Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to court on contempt charges over her suspension.
Also included in the Form 48 contempt charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, are the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuen.
NPO reported that the Imasuen-led disciplinary committee had found Natasha guilty of gross misconduct and violantion of the Senate’s standing rule with her clash with the Senate President.
The committee recommended the six-month suspension which included the stoppage of her salary, other emoluments, and the withdrawal of her security details.
With the recommendations approved by members of the Senate, the Kogi lawmaker was immediately suspended.
She had, however, continued her pursuit for fair hearing with the contempt charge coming barely two days after making appearance at the United Nation’s Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) where she accused the Senate of suspending her over the sexual harassment petition, she filed against Akpabio.
According to report, the Kogi lawmaker, in her contempt charge, argued that her suspension constituted willful disobedience to the subsisting court order issued on March 4 stating that an enrolled order of the interim injunction issued by Justice Egwuatu was duly served on the defendants on March 5.
As contained in the charge, the defendants/contemnors “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the binding directive of the court and “proceeded with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of the court.”
The court, in a notice of disobedience of a court order signed by its Registrar pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, informed the defendants/contemnors of their willful disobedience to the court order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
It warned that defying the subsisting order rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuen, and the Clerk of the National Assembly liable for contempt of court, which could result in their committal to prison.