Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has withdrawn from a case involving suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The judge, who was assigned to hear the suit, announced his decision to step aside on Tuesday. His withdrawal follows a petition from Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who questioned his impartiality.

Although the case was scheduled for hearing, Justice Egwuatu ruled that he would no longer handle it when the court clerk called it up. He stated that he would return the case file to the Chief Judge for reassignment.

Earlier, on March 4, Justice Egwuatu issued an interim order preventing the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from taking disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan. The senator had been accused of violating Senate rules. The judge ruled that the disciplinary process should be halted until the case was determined.

He also gave the defendants 72 hours to justify why the court should not stop them from investigating the senator without following the guidelines set by the 1999 Constitution, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.

Justice Egwuatu permitted Akpoti-Uduaghan to serve legal documents on the defendants through substituted means. The court directed that the documents be given to the Clerk of the National Assembly, pasted at the National Assembly premises, and published in two national newspapers.

Despite the interim order, the Senate Committee proceeded with its meeting and suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months. Later, following an application from the defendants, Justice Egwuatu modified his initial ruling, removing the restriction that prevented the Senate from taking further action while the case was ongoing.

Meanwhile, Akpabio’s legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, has challenged the court’s authority to intervene in Senate affairs.