Ismail Abdulazeez Mantu Reporting
The Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to continue her legislative duties, says 6-month suspension is excessive.
The Federal High Court in Abuja also imposed a ₦5 million fine on the embattled lawmaker for contempt of court, citing her failure to comply with a judicial directive in both tone and substance.
Truth Live News gathered that, while presiding over the matter on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, issued earlier in the week following a previous court order, was a “satirical defiance” rather than a genuine expression of contrition. The judge described the apology as “mocking the integrity of the court and violating the spirit of judicial obedience.”
” An apology made in jest is no apology at all,” Justice Nyako declared. “This court will not tolerate mockery dressed as compliance.”
The contempt charge stemmed from Senator Natasha’s failure to issue a proper apology to the Senate President after being found to have made “unsubstantiated public utterances” concerning legislative proceedings. Rather than offering a straightforward apology, the Senator had taken to social media, specifically her verified Facebook page, to issue a statement laced with sarcasm and satire, which drew widespread attention and criticism.
In what appeared to be a deliberate jab, the senator wrote that she “sincerely and humbly apologizes for daring to assume that the hallowed chambers of the Nigerian Senate still permitted free speech and truth-telling.”
Though she has since removed the post, screenshots circulated widely across platforms, further compounding the political tension between her and the Senate leadership.
In addition to the ₦5 million penalty, Justice Nyako directed Senator Natasha to issue a new and unqualified apology—this time to be published in two national newspapers and reposted on her official Facebook page within seven days. Failure to comply, the court warned, may invite further punitive actions, including possible custodial sentencing.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is presently serving a suspension handed down by the Senate earlier in June, following allegations of conduct deemed “unbecoming of a senator.” Her team has since filed a challenge to the suspension at the Court of Appeal.
Legal analysts say the ruling shows the judiciary’s renewed insistence on institutional respect, especially within the tense landscape of Nigeria’s separation of powers. However, critics argue that the ruling may escalate what appears to be an unfolding campaign to sideline vocal lawmakers.
Civil society groups have raised concerns over what they describe as a shrinking space for dissent within Nigeria’s democratic institutions, especially in the wake of Senator Natasha’s sanctioning.
“This is bigger than Natasha. This is about the rights of lawmakers to hold the executive and leadership accountable,” said Human Rights lawyer, Barr. Ayo Oladimeji.
Meanwhile, her supporters in Kogi Central have rallied around her, calling the court decision “politically motivated.” A protest is reportedly being planned in Lokoja next week to “defend democratic freedoms.”
As Nigeria continues to navigate a fragile democratic path, the case of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan presents a test of institutional boundaries, individual liberties, and the extent to which satire or sarcasm constitutes contempt.
What began as a parliamentary dispute is now evolving into a full-blown constitutional standoff, one that may well define the balance between political speech and judicial decorum in the 10th National Assembly.