The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has struck out two motions filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and ordered him to pay ₦100,000 in costs.
A three-member panel led by Justice Hamman Barka delivered the ruling on May 21, 2025, after Akpabio sought to withdraw his motions. A certified true copy of the ruling was obtained by PUNCH Online on Tuesday night.
The motions, dated March 3 and March 25, 2025, and marked CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025, listed Akpabio as the appellant. The respondents included Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, 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 approached the court seeking several reliefs, including:
- An extension of time to seek leave to appeal a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on March 10, 2025, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.
- Permission to appeal the decision on grounds of mixed law and fact.
- An extension of time to file a notice of appeal.
- A stay of proceedings in the lower court case, pending the outcome of his appeal.
However, the Court of Appeal granted Akpabio’s request to withdraw the motions and subsequently struck them out.
In its ruling, the 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.”
The ruling marks a procedural win for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and adds a new dimension to the ongoing legal dispute.
