The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from her six-month suspension by the Nigerian Senate, but not without consequences.
Justice Binta Nyako, delivering her ruling on Friday, found the Kogi Central lawmaker guilty of contempt for breaching a court order that barred public commentary on the case, specifically, a satirical social media post targeting Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The judge ruled that her online post described as a “satirical apology” to Akpabio, fell squarely within the scope of an earlier injunction that prohibited all parties from granting interviews or making public statements about the matter.
“The publication falls within the restraint imposed by the Court,” Justice Nyako said. She fined the senator N5 million and ordered her to issue a public apology both in national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days to purge herself of the contempt.
Court Orders Her Return to Senate
The court, sided with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on the core of her legal challenge with Justice Nyako ruling that the Senate overreached in suspending the lawmaker for six months, noting that while the Senate has disciplinary powers, the duration of the suspension was inconsistent with both the Nigerian Constitution and the Senate’s own standing rules.
“A senator is expected to represent her people,” the judge said, directing that Akpoti-Uduaghan be recalled by the Senate.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had approached the court to halt an ethics probe into her conduct during a February 20 plenary session and to challenge what she described as procedural irregularities in her suspension. Her legal team, led by Michael Numa, SAN, maintained that the disciplinary action violated her fundamental rights and Senate protocols.
In response, Akpabio’s counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the suit as “academic” and sought the deletion of the controversial post from the court records.
Meanwhile, the court dismissed the Senate’s preliminary objections, clarifying that lawmakers do not need to issue a three-month notice before suing under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act when fundamental rights are involved.
The judgment adds another twist to the tense standoff between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate leadership, underscoring ongoing concerns about the balance between institutional discipline and legislative accountability.
