Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has confirmed she will return to her legislative duties in the Senate on Tuesday, following a court ruling that overturned her six-month suspension from the red chamber.
In a video now circulating on social media, the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District addressed a crowd of jubilant supporters, thanking them for standing by her throughout the ordeal.
“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 said.
Her announcement came shortly after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ruled on Friday that her suspension by the Senate was illegal. The court declared the action “excessive, unconstitutional, and an infringement on the rights of her constituents,” and ordered her immediate recall.
However, the court also found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt over a Facebook post she made during the legal proceedings. The post, which was styled as a satirical apology addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was deemed to have violated an interim injunction issued on March 4, 2025. The injunction had barred all parties involved in the case from making public or social media statements regarding the matter.
Justice Nyako, who presided over the case, fined the senator N5 million for the contemptuous post. The judge further directed her to issue a public apology within seven days. The apology, according to the ruling, must be published in two national newspapers.
