Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has announced her return to the Senate on Tuesday, following a Federal High Court judgment declaring her six-month suspension as unconstitutional and a violation of her constituents’ rights.
In a video that began trending on social media on Sunday, the Kogi Central senator thanked her supporters for standing by her during the legal battle.
“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 stated.
Justice Binta Nyako, who presided over the case in Abuja, ruled on Friday that the suspension imposed by the Senate in March 2025 lacked constitutional backing and was procedurally flawed.
The court affirmed that long suspensions without due process undermine democratic governance and deprive constituents of their constitutional right to representation, especially as lawmakers are required to attend at least 181 sitting days in a legislative year.
However, the court also found Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt for a Facebook post interpreted as a satirical apology directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The post violated a March 4 interim injunction that barred parties from making public statements on the case.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended following a rowdy plenary session and further controversy ensued after she accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment during a live TV interview—a charge he has denied.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako also called on the National Assembly to review its disciplinary procedures to align with constitutional principles and ensure fair hearing for lawmakers facing sanctions.
