Court orders Senate to recall Natasha, fines her N5 million for contempt

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Binta Fatima Nyako has nullified the suspension of Kogi State Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Delivering judgment in the suit filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging her six months suspension by the Senate, Justice Nyako ordered the Senate to recall the suspended senator on grounds that her suspension for six months violated the Constitution and also denied her constituents of adequate representation.

Justice Nyako made it clear that while the National Assembly has powers to discipline any erring members, such discipline should not be too excessive to the extent of depriving her people of representation.

She declared the six months suspension as excessive because it exceeded the 180 days the house is expected to sit.

Earlier in the judgement, Justice Nyako had fined Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ₦5m for contempt over a satirical apology she posted on her Facebook page on April 27, 2025 to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The judge agreed with Senator Akpabio’s argument that Natasha’s posting violated an earlier court order restraining all parties from commenting to the media or making social media posts related to the case.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel had argued that the post was not connected to the court’s order concerning her suspension but rather referred to a separate issue involving sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.