Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume legislative duties Tuesday after Court faults suspension

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, has announced her return to the Senate on Tuesday, July 9, 2025, following a court judgment that faulted the six-month suspension imposed on her by the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Her suspension, which took effect on March 6, 2025, was the outcome of a Senate Ethics Committee report adopted after an altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The Senate had accused her of gross misconduct and barred her from participating in legislative activities for six months.

Unwilling to accept the decision, the senator approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking redress and a reversal of the suspension.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, July 5, Justice Binta Nyako upheld the Senate’s authority to discipline its members, including suspending them for misconduct.

However, the court strongly criticized the duration of the suspension, describing it as “excessive” and “overreaching.”

Justice Nyako noted that the Senate Standing Orders do not define the maximum length of a suspension.

READ ALSO: Court orders Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, declares six-month suspension excessive

She explained that under the Nigerian Constitution, lawmakers are required to sit for at least 181 days in a legislative session, and suspending a senator for six months effectively removes their ability to represent their constituents for most of the session.

“A senator is expected to represent her people,” the judge ruled, adding that “the Senate has the power to amend that rule” and “can and should reconsider recalling the plaintiff back to office.”

In a partial rebuke, however, the court also ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to pay a ₦5 million fine for violating a court order.

This stemmed from a satirical apology she posted on Facebook directed at Senate President Akpabio, which the court viewed as a breach of decorum during the pendency of the legal proceedings.

Following the ruling, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan welcomed the judgment and confirmed 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 told her supporters in a message shared shortly after the court’s decision.

Her anticipated return is expected to stir fresh political activity in the red chamber, as her suspension had sparked widespread debate about internal disciplinary processes and the balance between legislative authority and constitutional representation.

With the legal dispute now resolved, attention turns to how the Senate will receive her return, and whether any further actions will be taken regarding the court’s recommendation to review its internal suspension policies.