Court Orders Nigerian Senate to Reinstate Suspended Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

A Federal High Court in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, has ruled in favor of a senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended by the Senate for six months over alleged misconduct.

Justice Binta Nyako, who led the court sitting on Friday, July 4th, 2025, delivered the judgment stating that the suspension of the senator was ‘excessive.’

The judge added that because lawmakers are expected to sit for 181 days in a legislative session, the six-month suspension would hinder the Senator’s ability to carry out her legislative mandate thereby denying her constituents the right to representation.

Reacting to the favorable judgment, the Senator told supporters, “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.”

It can be recalled that Senator Natasha was suspended by the Senate Committee on Ethics after she brought forward a series of allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio

The exchange between Senator Natasha and Senator Akpabio began after an argument about a reshufflement in sitting arrangement ensued between her and the Senate President. 

The senator claimed that the new sitting arrangement put her in a dead zone where her legislative activities wouldn’t be captured by cameras. This she insisted, was an attempt by the Senate President to silence her. 

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Neda Imasuen rebuffed Senator Natasha’s claims stating that she wasn’t the only one whose position was changed and, “About four or five other senators were moved.”

Analyzing the issue, a Legislative Governance expert, Chibuzo Okereke explained, “She belongs to the minority caucus. They sit on the left side of the presiding officer by the tail of the maze…these things have significance because they are symbolism.”

Following the reshuffling disagreement, Senator Natasha presented a petition against the Senate President to the Senate. She accused him of sexual harassment, abuse of office, and malicious obstruction of her legislative functions.

Responding to the claims during the Senate gathering, the Senate President said, “I have the highest regard for women…so at no time will I ever harass any woman.”

Although Senator Natasha’s petition was initially rejected by the Senate, it was later approved and a decision was made by the Committee on Ethics on March 25th, 2025, to suspend the Senator for six months. The body insisted that her actions brought dishonor to the Senate and its leader.

The suspension was accompanied by other strict conditions, such as stripping the Senator of her security detail, cutting off her salary, restricting her visit to the National Assembly, and prohibiting her from introducing herself as a Senator

A lawyer, Chinenye Uwanaka, condemned the situation, saying, “Looking at what has played out in the National Assembly, honestly speaking, it doesn’t look like a place that is welcoming for women.” 

She continued, “We even have case law in Dume and Omo Agege…the Supreme Court held that those suspensions were not constitutional because it’s supposed to be a maximum of 14 days.”

As the court has reviewed the case and come to a consensus that this suspension was ‘overreaching,’ Senator Natasha has begun making preparations to resume her legislative duties. 

Her resumption is, however, still dependent on the Senate’s examination and verification of the Certificate of True Copy (CTC) of the judgment. In a statement on 6th July 2025, the spokesperson for the Senate, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said, “Pending the receipt and examination of the CTC, and acting on the advice of counsel, the Senate shall refrain from taking any steps that may prejudice its legal position.”

In a separate ruling, Senator Natasha was fined 5 million naira by the same judge after she posted a satirical apology to the Senate President on Facebook, disobeying the gag order that restrained all parties from commenting on the case.