Court of Appeal upholds Senate’s suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, cancels ₦5m contempt fine
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Nigerian Senate.
The senator was suspended for six months following an outburst during a plenary session over the reassignment of her seat.
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As part of the Senate’s disciplinary action, her salary, security details, and access to the National Assembly were revoked.
The Kogi Central senator’s office was locked, and her aides did not receive salaries.
The appellate court ruled that the Senate acted within its constitutional powers when suspending Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for misconduct. The judgment was delivered unanimously by a three-member panel of justices on Monday, February 9, 2026.
The court also vacated the ₦5 million contempt fine and contempt proceedings against the senator, which stemmed from a satirical apology she made to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Justice Abba Muhammed affirmed that Senate rules allow the President to allocate seats, and members are required to speak only from their assigned seats.
The ruling follows an earlier decision by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had ordered the immediate recall of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, stating that the original six-month suspension was excessive and deprived her constituents of representation.
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During the proceedings, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained her stance, emphasizing that she remains unbent and unbroken, standing by her principles amid the controversy.
