Court upholds Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan suspension, ruling the Senate acted within constitutional powers and nullifying the ₦5m fine and contempt charges

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has upheld the Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan suspension, affirming that the Nigerian Senate acted within its constitutional and legislative powers when it disciplined the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

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In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel led by Justice A. B. Muhammed ruled that the Senate did not breach Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s parliamentary privileges or fundamental rights when it suspended her over alleged misconduct.

The judges agreed that the Senate is empowered under its standing rules to take disciplinary actions against members found to be in violation of chamber procedures.

The decision overturns part of a Federal High Court ruling from last year, which had previously described elements of the suspension as excessive and imposed a ₦5 million fine on the senator over a satirical apology she made targeting Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

While the appellate court upheld the suspension itself, it set aside the contempt proceedings and nullified the fine, finding that the contempt charge was not legally sustainable.

The ruling also supported the Senate President’s February 2025 decision not to recognise Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan during a plenary session after she allegedly refused to sit in her officially assigned seat, citing the chamber’s rules that empower the president to allocate seats and regulate speaking privileges.