A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred all parties involved in the lawsuit filed by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and three others from making public comments about the case.
Justice Binta Nyako issued the order on Friday after Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Akpabio’s lawyer, complained that Akpoti-Uduaghan had been speaking about the matter on various television platforms.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako instructed all parties and their legal representatives to refrain from media engagements regarding the case.
She further prohibited the streaming of court proceedings on social media.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had approached the court to stop the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petitions from initiating disciplinary action against her.
On March 4, the court granted an interim order restraining the Senate from proceeding against her, pending further hearings.
However, two days later, the Senate suspended the Kogi senator for six months over alleged gross misconduct, following the adoption of a report by the committee.
On March 19, Justice Obiora Egwuatu vacated his earlier order that had restrained the Senate from suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan.
At a subsequent hearing on March 25, Egwuatu announced his recusal from the case due to an allegation of bias leveled against him by Akpabio.
He directed that the case file be transferred to Chief Judge John Tsoho for reassignment, leading to its transfer to Justice Nyako.
