The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the criminal proceedings brought against suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
In a post published on the 16th of June, 2025, on its official X page, SERAP said: “Following his expressed commitment on June 12, we call on President Tinubu to promptly direct Nigeria’s Attorney General to immediately discontinue the case(s) against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is targeted simply for the peaceful exercise of her human rights.”
The case against Akpoti-Uduaghan is reportedly driven by interests linked to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello.
On the same day, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a prosecution request for a bench warrant against the senator.
Prosecuting lawyer, Mr. D.D. Kasue, told the court the matter was listed for arraignment, but the senator did not appear. He claimed her legal team had received the court documents and was fully aware of the date. The judge, however, refused to grant the warrant.
The court proceedings trace back to a clash that occurred on the 20th of February, 2025, between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio. That incident triggered a disciplinary probe by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
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In a separate ruling last week, the Court of Appeal in Abuja struck out two motions filed by Akpabio. The motions sought to challenge a Federal High Court decision that stopped the Senate Committee from taking disciplinary steps against the senator.
Filed on the 20th and 25th of March, 2025, the applications aimed to overturn the 10th of March judgment by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, which had granted an interim injunction in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s favor.
Akpabio’s team later filed withdrawal notices, prompting the appellate court to dismiss the motions.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, a vocal critic in the legislative chamber, insists that the charges and disciplinary proceedings against her are politically driven.