Akpoti: Court-Declared Senators Are Part Of Senate Problems – Akpabio

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has stated that “court-declared senators” are part of the problems of the senate, despite he also benefiting from court rulings in his political career.

“I think part of the problem is when people come from court — court-declared senators— they missed the orientation,” he was quoted as saying.

He then directed the National Assembly management to organise periodic orientation sessions for senators who assume office midstream.

His comment came amid an ongoing dispute with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.

The clash between the two senators has sparked widespread reactions. In response, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a ₦100billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio and his senior legislative aide, Mfon Patrick.

The suit, lodged at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, alleges that defamatory statements made on social media damaged her reputation.

The controversy stemmed from a Facebook post by Patrick, which questioned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s entitlement to a Senate committee position.

The post reportedly contained disparaging remarks about her appearance and legislative competence. Akpoti-Uduaghan claims the post was made at Akpabio’s behest and has significantly harmed her reputation.

In 2019, Nigeria’s Court of Appeal handed a crucial lifeline to the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Chris Ekpenyoung of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial election.

Disputing the results, Akpabio challenged INEC’s decision at the election tribunal but lost. He then took the case to the Court of Appeal, where he secured a “favourable” ruling.

The appellate court nullified Ekpenyoung’s election victory and ordered a rerun in Essien Udim Local Government Area within 90 days. Fast forward to January 2023, Akpabio once again leaned on court decisions to secure his candidacy for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom North West.

However, his party had initially contested an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had disqualified Akpabio and declared Udom Ekpoudom, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, as the rightful APC candidate.

The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, which overturned the appellate court’s decision. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa criticised the lower court for substituting Akpabio with Ekpoudom, despite Akpabio not being a party in the case.

“The judgment of the Court of Appeal is hereby set aside,” he ruled. Following the verdict, Akpabio expressed gratitude, describing the ruling as divine intervention.

“I stand before you all today to return thanks, honour, and praises to God almighty for our victory at the Supreme Court. When all hope appeared lost, the Lord came through for me,” Akpabio had said at a thanksgiving event.