The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her legislative duties, declaring her six-month suspension as unlawful and a violation of Section 14(2) of the Senate’s Privileges Act.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, the court ruled that the suspension was excessive and lacked constitutional backing, affirming Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to represent her Kogi Central constituency without undue legislative obstruction.
However, the court also found the senator guilty of contempt for making public comments on social media while the matter was sub judice. As a consequence, Justice [Name, if available] ordered her to publish formal apologies in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page. In addition, she is to pay a N5 million fine to the Federal Government within seven days.
