In a dramatic courtroom triumph, Senate President Godswill Akpabio secured a gag order from Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, April 4, 2025, silencing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and all parties embroiled in their explosive legal showdown. The ruling clamps down on media interviews and public statements, effectively stifling a feud that has rocked Nigeria’s political landscape. Justice Nyako went further, banning live-streaming or sharing of court proceedings on social media, ensuring the bitter dispute remains under tight wraps.
The order followed a fiery complaint from Akpabio’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), who accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of turning the case into a media circus with a string of high-profile interviews. Ogunwumiju argued that her public commentary threatened the integrity of the ongoing proceedings, prompting the judge to pull the plug on both sides’ ability to speak out.
The clash traces back to a tense encounter on February 20, 2025, when Akpoti-Uduaghan, a vocal senator from Kogi Central, clashed with Akpabio over a seemingly trivial seating arrangement in the Senate chamber. What began as a procedural spat quickly escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of making inappropriate remarks laced with sexual undertones—a charge he vehemently denied. The confrontation spiraled into chaos, with Akpabio, as Senate President, wielding his authority to push for her suspension. On March 12, 2025, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions handed her a six-month ban, citing “gross misconduct,” a decision she branded as retaliation and promptly challenged in court.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawsuit doesn’t just seek to overturn her suspension—it also levels damning allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, painting him as a power-drunk leader abusing his office to silence dissent. Akpabio, a seasoned political heavyweight from Akwa Ibom, has fired back, dismissing her claims as baseless and accusing her of defamation. The saga took a twist when the original judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, stepped aside on March 25, 2025, citing bias allegations from Akpabio’s camp, handing the case to Justice Nyako.
With the gag order now in place, Akpabio has scored a tactical win, curbing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s ability to rally public support through her media blitz. But the stakes remain sky-high. The courtroom has become a battleground for power, pride, and principle, with Nigeria watching as two political titans slug it out in enforced silence. What happens next is anyone’s guess—but for now, Akpabio holds the upper hand in keeping the narrative under lock and key.
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