Court Orders Senate To Recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Slaps Her With N5m Fine For Contempt

In a dramatic twist in Nigeria’s legislative saga, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Senate to immediately recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended in March for alleged misconduct. The court, however, simultaneously found the senator in contempt and imposed a N5 million fine on her for disobeying its order.

Delivering judgment on Friday, July 4, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the six-month suspension meted out to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was “unduly excessive” and effectively left the people of Kogi Central without representation in the Red Chamber. “No constituency should be left voiceless due to internal disciplinary matters,” the judge stated, urging the Senate to revise its rules on sanctions.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had sued the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, its President Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Neda Imasuen—chairman of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions—over what she termed an unjust suspension.

But while granting her relief on the core issue of suspension, the court was unsparing on her conduct during the trial. Justice Nyako held the senator in contempt for her April 27 Facebook post, where she issued what the court described as a “mocking and satirical apology” to the Senate. The judge ruled that the post violated the court’s earlier order, made on April 4, barring all parties from making public statements about the case.

As penalty, the senator was ordered to pay N5 million and issue a “sincere and unreserved public apology” in two national dailies within seven days—and on her Facebook page within two days.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 for allegedly refusing to take her newly assigned seat during plenary on February 20, a move the Senate interpreted as insubordination and breach of legislative protocol.

This ruling does not affect the separate cybercrime charges recently brought against her, for which she has already secured bail.

With this judgment, the embattled lawmaker is poised to return to the Senate floor—but with a court-sanctioned warning ringing in her ears.