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Court Directs Senate to Reinstate Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 4th, 2025.

Court Directs Senate to Reinstate Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the Nigerian Senate must recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had been suspended for six months over allegations of gross misconduct.

In her ruling on Friday, Justice Nyako said the six-month suspension was too long and effectively denied the people of Kogi Central proper representation. She also suggested the Senate should reconsider how it imposes such sanctions in the future.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed a lawsuit against the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate itself, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Neda Imasuen, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.

However, the court also found her guilty of contempt for posting a sarcastic apology to the Senate on her Facebook page on April 27, 2025, which went against a court order banning public statements about the case.

As a result, she was fined N5 million and ordered to publish a public apology in two national newspapers within seven days, as well as on her Facebook page within two days.

The initial suspension came on March 6 after the Senate accused her of misconduct, specifically refusing to take her assigned seat during a plenary on February 20, 2025.

The court had originally scheduled judgment for June 27 but postponed it to July 4.

This matter is separate from the cybercrime charges Akpoti-Uduaghan is facing, for which she has already been granted bail.