Senate President Godswill Akpabio has escalated the legal dispute surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by approaching the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a decision of the Court of Appeal that dismissed his appeal on procedural grounds.

According to reports from Abuja, Akpabio’s legal team has asked the apex court to intervene, arguing that the Court of Appeal wrongly struck out the Federal Government’s brief of argument in the case. The Senate President contends that the appellate court’s ruling was flawed and denied him a fair opportunity to be heard.

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had earlier ruled that the brief filed on behalf of Akpabio was fundamentally defective and therefore incompetent. The court cited non compliance with mandatory provisions of the Court of Appeal Rules as the basis for its decision.

In its judgment, the appellate court highlighted several procedural breaches. These included the use of unauthorised font size and line spacing, exceeding the prescribed 35 page limit, and the failure to seek leave of court to regularise the defects. The court held that these were not minor technical errors but substantive violations that affected the competence of the appeal.

Akpabio’s move to the Supreme Court followed the appellate court’s conclusion that the infractions went to the root of the case. In his appeal, the Senate President argues that his constitutional right to a fair hearing was breached when the court declined to allow corrections to the brief or grant permission to exceed the page limit.

Meanwhile, the case has continued to generate debate within political and legal circles. Some observers view the dispute as more than a procedural legal battle, describing it as a reflection of deeper political tensions within the Senate.

Members of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team have expressed confidence in the judiciary, maintaining that the appeal to the Supreme Court represents a final attempt to overturn a decision that was reached in line with established legal principles.

Sources within the Senate say the controversy underscores a long standing strain between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan. The Kogi Central senator, a first term lawmaker, has attracted national attention for her outspoken posture and readiness to challenge Senate leadership. According to insiders, this growing profile has unsettled existing power dynamics within the chamber and the ruling party.

A senator who spoke anonymously due to concerns about possible repercussions described the situation in stark terms. “This has moved beyond a simple legal disagreement,” the lawmaker said. “It has turned into a contest over authority and control.”

As the Supreme Court prepares to consider the matter, attention will remain fixed on how the legal and political dimensions of the dispute may reshape relations within the Senate.