The responsibility now lies with her. Once she carries out the restitution as instructed—specifically, issuing a proper apology—the Senate will reconvene to assess her response and determine the next steps
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, has clarified that the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, will not be reinstated until she complies with a Federal High Court directive mandating her to issue a formal apology.
This development follows a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, where Justice Binta Nyako declared Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Nigerian Senate as unconstitutional, excessive, and lacking legal foundation.
The court held that the suspension, which was nearly equal to the entire legislative session of 181 sitting days, effectively denied the people of Kogi Central senatorial district their right to representation.
Justice Nyako emphasized that suspending an elected senator for such an extended period contradicts democratic principles. She further invalidated certain sections of the Senate’s internal rules and legislative laws used to justify the suspension.
Specifically, parts of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act were declared overreaching and ambiguous in defining the permissible duration for suspending lawmakers.
However, in a related matter, the court also found Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in contempt for violating a previous court order which barred her from making public comments on the ongoing case with the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
This violation was linked to a satirical post she made on Facebook on April 7, which the court viewed as a mockery of its authority.
As a result, Justice Nyako imposed a ₦5 million fine on the senator and directed her to issue a sincere apology. The apology must be published within seven days in two widely circulated national newspapers and also posted on her Facebook page.
Reacting to the judgment, Senator Adaramodu reaffirmed that the Senate’s constitutional authority to discipline its members remains intact.
“Which judgment are we appealing when the court itself affirmed the Senate’s right to discipline erring members? The court has not stripped us of that statutory power,” he stated.
Adaramodu further stressed that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reinstatement would only be considered after she fully complies with the court’s orders.
“The responsibility now lies with her. Once she carries out the restitution as instructed—specifically, issuing a proper apology—the Senate will reconvene to assess her response and determine the next steps,” he explained.
Meanwhile, addressing reporters after the court ruling, the Senate’s legal counsel, Paul Dauda, SAN, described the outcome as a partial victory for the Senate, particularly with regard to the contempt charges related to the senator’s social media activity.
Dauda clarified that the court’s statement about the suspension being excessive was not a binding directive but rather an obiter dictum—a passing judicial comment with no legal compulsion. “There was no formal relief sought by the senator to lift the suspension.
The court merely commented that the duration seemed excessive. As such, we will thoroughly study the full judgment and determine our next course of action in consultation with our colleagues,” he said.
While the court has raised serious concerns about the proportionality and legality of the senator’s suspension, the Nigerian Senate insists that Akpoti-Uduaghan must first fulfill the court’s directive for a genuine public apology before any steps toward her reinstatement can be taken.