The federal lawmaker argued that the trial judge lacked the legal power to punish a comment made outside the courtroom on her Facebook page.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is asking the Court of Appeal to overturn the entire decision of Justice Binta Nyako delivered on July 4, 2025.
The High Court Judgment had found the Kogi Central senator guilty of contempt and ordered her to pay a punitive fine of N5 million and tender a public apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page.
The proceedings began with a contempt application filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In his application, Akpabio argued that a social media post made by the senator violated a previous court order that prohibited all parties from commenting to the press or posting on social media regarding the case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan's counsel contended that the post was unrelated to the court order concerning her suspension and referred instead to a separate issue involving sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.
The senator is now appealing the ruling on six grounds, insisting that the Federal High Court lacked "the requisite jurisdiction to entertain an alleged contempt ex facie curiae involving the imposition of fine which is criminal in nature."
She further argues that the contempt charge stemmed from a satirical apology she posted online, a post she claims was unrelated to the judicial proceedings before Justice Nyako.
One of the grounds of her appeal is that the contempt allegedly committed on Facebook was outside the face of the court and should have been treated as a criminal matter subject to full trial procedure, including a charge, evidence, and trial before a different judge.
The senator also challenged the basis of the original contempt application, stating that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, through whom the application was filed, "did not expressly seek for the payment of fine of N5,000,000.00 or any amount whatsoever."
She further accused the trial judge of substituting the original reliefs sought with her own punitive orders, thereby "descending into the arena of conflict."
The senator is also asking the appellate court to rule that the "award of N5,000,000.00 against the Appellant is excessive and punitive," describing the underlying offence as minor and based on a misunderstanding of the court’s previous orders.
SaharaReporters
The High Court Judgment had found the Kogi Central senator guilty of contempt and ordered her to pay a punitive fine of N5 million and tender a public apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page.
The proceedings began with a contempt application filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In his application, Akpabio argued that a social media post made by the senator violated a previous court order that prohibited all parties from commenting to the press or posting on social media regarding the case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan's counsel contended that the post was unrelated to the court order concerning her suspension and referred instead to a separate issue involving sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.
The senator is now appealing the ruling on six grounds, insisting that the Federal High Court lacked "the requisite jurisdiction to entertain an alleged contempt ex facie curiae involving the imposition of fine which is criminal in nature."
She further argues that the contempt charge stemmed from a satirical apology she posted online, a post she claims was unrelated to the judicial proceedings before Justice Nyako.
One of the grounds of her appeal is that the contempt allegedly committed on Facebook was outside the face of the court and should have been treated as a criminal matter subject to full trial procedure, including a charge, evidence, and trial before a different judge.
The senator also challenged the basis of the original contempt application, stating that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, through whom the application was filed, "did not expressly seek for the payment of fine of N5,000,000.00 or any amount whatsoever."
She further accused the trial judge of substituting the original reliefs sought with her own punitive orders, thereby "descending into the arena of conflict."
The senator is also asking the appellate court to rule that the "award of N5,000,000.00 against the Appellant is excessive and punitive," describing the underlying offence as minor and based on a misunderstanding of the court’s previous orders.
SaharaReporters
Beautiful woman!!!! You get strength shaaaaa
ReplyDeleteVery silly woman.
ReplyDeleteVery immature politically, and manipulative sexually, lady
ReplyDeleteThis lady feels so highly of herself.
ReplyDelete