The Federal High Court in Abuja has prohibited all parties involved in the lawsuit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from granting press interviews or streaming court proceedings on social media.
The order was issued on Friday following a complaint by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Senate President Godswill Akpabio's counsel, who accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of making media rounds discussing the case.
Ogunwumiju alleged that the Kogi Central senator had appeared on multiple media platforms, including the BBC and CNN, to discuss her suspension from the Senate.
In response, Justice Binta Nyako emphasised that since the matter was before the court, no party or legal representative should comment publicly on it.
During the proceedings, Jibril Okutepa, counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, informed the court that the case had just been transferred from Justice Obiora Egwuatu's courtroom.
He requested a consolidated hearing of all pending applications alongside the main suit, arguing that time was of the essence given his client's limited suspension period.
While counsel for the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Senate did not oppose the application, Akpabio's lawyers, Ogunwumiju and Umeh Kalu (SAN), objected.
However, Justice Nyako ruled in favour of a consolidated hearing, stating that all preliminary objections and the substantive case would be addressed together. The court adjourned the case until May 12 for a full hearing.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is challenging the Senate's decision to suspend her for six months, arguing that she was denied a fair hearing before the disciplinary action was taken.
The suspended senator also alleged that she's being punished for rejecting sexual advances from Akpabio.
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