The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to delete the satirical apology she posted on her social media platforms.
Mr Akpabio’s request is contained in a motion as part of an ongoing lawsuit initiated by the suspended senator to contest her suspension from the Senate.
On 4 April, Justice Binta Nyako, had issued an order barring both parties from making public statements related to the case, especially concerning the sexual harassment allegations.
The judge ruled that: “There shall be no press interviews by all parties and counsels as regard the subject matter of this suit. There shall be no streaming or social media post as regards this case. There shall be no television analysis of this subject matter while the case is subjudice.”
Despite this order, on 27 April, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan posted a satirical apology on her official Facebook page. In the post, she mocked the leadership style of the senate president and his alleged misconduct in the upper chamber.
The senate president’s legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a SAN, is arguing through the motion that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s post violated the court’s order. It, therefore, asked the court to mandate her to delete the satirical post from all her social media platforms.
Mr Akpabio’s legal team is also asking the court to direct the suspended senator to issue a written apology, to be published in at least two national newspapers and an affidavit of compliance confirming her adherence to these directives.
