By Lamidi Lasisi
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 27, 2025, as the judgment date in a lawsuit filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging the Nigerian Senate’s controversial suspension of her.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was suspended for six months in February 2025 over allegations of misconduct and breach of Senate rules.
The suspension followed a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which accused her of actions that disrupted legislative proceedings.
However, the senator, a vocal advocate for transparency and democratic accountability, maintains that her suspension was politically motivated and violated a subsisting court order.
She argued that Justice Obiora Egwuatu had earlier issued a restraining order barring the Senate from taking any disciplinary action against her until the determination of the case she filed seeking judicial protection for her mandate.
The case, heard yesterday by Justice Binta Nyako, took a dramatic turn as it now includes two separate contempt charges—each filed by the opposing sides.
One was initiated by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who, through a Facebook post and several media interviews, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of breaching a court order.
Akpabio’s legal counsel, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), told the court that the senator’s satirical open letter posted on her social media account violated the court’s April 4 order prohibiting public commentary.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a contempt charge against Akpabio and the Senate, arguing that they defied the court’s earlier order by suspending her suspension.
The legal battle has attracted national attention because of its potential constitutional implications and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s growing profile as a political figure in the North-Central.
