In a landmark ruling that underscores the supremacy of democratic representation and constitutional rights, the Federal High Court in Abuja has declared the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan unlawful, ordering her immediate reinstatement and mandating a comprehensive review of the Nigerian Senate’s disciplinary procedures.
Delivering the verdict on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako stated unequivocally that the six-month suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was not only “unduly excessive” but also a grave violation of the fundamental rights of the people of Kogi Central, who were left voiceless in the nation’s highest legislative chamber.
“The suspension constitutes a denial of representation and is in breach of Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act,” Justice Nyako ruled, adding that no internal rule of the Senate must override the Nigerian Constitution or be used to muzzle dissenting voices.
The embattled senator, who had dragged the Senate, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Neda Imasuen (Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions), and the Clerk of the National Assembly to court, secured a partial victory in her legal battle. The court not only invalidated her suspension but also directed the Senate to urgently review its internal rulebook to ensure all disciplinary actions are guided by fairness, proportionality, and democratic ethos.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had been controversially suspended in March 2025 during a secretive closed-door session of the Senate after she made bold public accusations of sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio — claims that shook the legislative body to its core.
But in a dramatic twist, Justice Nyako also found the senator guilty of contempt of court for a satirical apology posted on her Facebook page on April 27, which the judge ruled was in violation of an earlier court order barring all parties from making public statements about the ongoing case.
As punishment, the court fined Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan ₦5 million and ordered her to publish a formal apology in two national dailies within seven days, and on her Facebook page within two days.
The controversial post, which included veiled jabs and sarcastic undertones, was interpreted by the court as a direct breach of its April 4 injunction. “No party in an active suit has the liberty to ridicule the sanctity of the court,” Justice Nyako warned, adding that the senator’s actions displayed “a troubling disregard for the rule of law.”
This courtroom victory for Akpoti-Uduaghan comes even as she faces an entirely separate cybercrime charge, for which she has been granted bail. The contempt application that led to the ₦5 million fine was filed by Senate President Akpabio, who insisted the Facebook post undermined the authority of the court and sought to sway public opinion amid the ongoing judicial process.
Her legal team argued the post was unrelated to the suspension case and instead referenced the sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio, but Justice Nyako dismissed that defense, saying the content had clear ties to the suspension proceedings.
The Senate had earlier accused the senator of gross misconduct, including defying a chamber directive to relocate to a new seat during plenary on February 20 — a move interpreted as insubordination and breach of Senate protocols.
Although judgment was initially scheduled for June 27, it was postponed and finally delivered on July 4 — a ruling that may now redefine the boundaries of legislative power and judicial oversight in Nigeria’s democratic framework.
As the Senate faces pressure to reform its internal sanctions system, the verdict serves as a bold reminder that no legislative body can act as judge and jury over its members without regard for constitutional liberties and due process.
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