The suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has announced that she will return to the Senate on Tuesday, following a court ruling ordering her reinstatement.
In a video shared on social media — which went viral on Sunday — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed gratitude to her supporters, confirming her return to legislative duties.
“I thank you for your support. I am glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God,” she said.
Her statement followed a Friday judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ruled that her six-month suspension from the Senate was unconstitutional, excessive, and a violation of the rights of her constituents to representation.
Presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, held that the Senate’s decision lacked constitutional foundation and ordered her immediate reinstatement.
However, the court also found Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt of court over a Facebook post — a satirical apology addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio — which violated a prior interim injunction issued on March 4, 2025, restraining all parties from making public comments on the matter.
The judge imposed a ₦5 million fine on the senator for breaching that order.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March after a heated plenary session turned chaotic over disputes surrounding chamber seating arrangements.
The controversy escalated when she later accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment during a live television interview.
Justice Nyako, in her ruling, criticised the Senate’s disciplinary process, declaring the long suspension as procedurally flawed. She stated that it deprived the people of Kogi Central of their constitutional right to be represented.
She further noted that lawmakers are constitutionally required to attend at least 181 sitting days in a legislative year and warned against unduly long suspensions without due process.
The court also urged the National Assembly to review its internal disciplinary procedures to align with constitutional standards and ensure the right to a fair hearing.
