The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has affirmed the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate, ruling that the legislative body acted within its constitutional and procedural powers.
In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s appeal against the Clerk of the National Assembly and three others in suit number CA/ABJ/CV/1107/2025, holding that her suspension did not violate her parliamentary privileges or fundamental rights.
However, the court set aside the contempt proceedings initiated against the senator, including the ₦5 million fine and the order directing her to tender an apology over a satirical message she addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice A. B. Muhammed ruled that the Senate President acted in accordance with Senate Rules when he denied Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary on February 20, 2025, noting that she was not seated in her officially designated seat at the time.
The court held that under Senate Rules, the Senate President is empowered to allocate or reassign seats to lawmakers, and that members are permitted to contribute to debates only from their assigned seats.
Consequently, the Court of Appeal vacated the ₦5 million fine and nullified the apology order, bringing the contempt matter to a close in the senator’s favour.
The appeal is part of the broader legal dispute arising from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate—a decision that has sparked nationwide debate and drawn criticism from constitutional lawyers and civil society organisations.
Critics argue that the duration and nature of the suspension constitute an abuse of legislative authority and undermine the right of her constituents to effective representation.
