The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has dismissed two motions filed by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and ordered him to pay ₦100,000 in legal costs.
A three-member panel, led by Justice Hamman Barka, delivered the ruling on May 21, 2025, after Akpabio formally withdrew the appeal. The certified true copy of the judgment was made available to journalists on Tuesday night.
The motions, registered as CV/395/M1/2025 and CV/395/M2/2025 and dated March 3 and March 25 respectively, were filed by 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.
You May Also Want to Read: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Sues Senate President Godswill Akpabio for Defamation.
Akpabio had approached the appellate court seeking several reliefs. These included an extension of time to file an appeal against the March 10, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025. He also sought leave to appeal on grounds involving both law and fact and requested a stay of proceedings in the lower court pending the appeal’s resolution.
More Read
However, during the court session, Akpabio’s legal team moved to withdraw both motions. The Court granted the application, struck out the motions, and imposed a ₦100,000 cost payable to the first respondent, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
You May Also Want to Read: Tensions Rise as Protest and Counter-Protest Clash Over Akpabio’s Sexual Harassment Allegations.
The court further directed that the appeal, numbered CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/395M/2025, be expunged from its records.
