…I still serve my constituents despite suspension –Natasha
From Adesuwa Tsan and Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has vowed to storm the Red Chamber today despite the Senate’s refusal to recognise the ruling that nullified her six-month suspension.
Addressing her supporters in a viral video, Akpoti-Uduaghan said:
“I thank you for your support. I’m glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God.”
Her decision comes after the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, nullified her suspension, describing it as “excessive, unconstitutional, and an infringement on the rights of her constituents.”
Delivering the judgment, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the six-month suspension imposed on the lawmaker by the Senate was excessive and faulted the relevant sections of the Senate Standing Rules and the Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act, describing them as “overreaching.” The court stressed that since lawmakers are constitutionally required to sit for 181 days in every legislative year, suspending a senator for six months is effectively tantamount to disenfranchising their constituents.
Justice Nyako ruled: “Though the Senate has the power to punish any of its members who err, such sanction must not be excessive to deprive the constituents of their right to be represented.”
The court also dismissed Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s argument that the matter was purely an internal affair outside the court’s jurisdiction.
However, the judgment was not entirely in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s favour.
Justice Nyako imposed a ₦5 million fine on the senator for contempt of court over a satirical Facebook post she made while an interim injunction was in place. In the controversial post, Akpoti-Uduaghan issued what the court described as a “mock apology” to Senate President Akpabio, an act the court held violated its gag order restraining parties from making public comments on the case.
The court ordered her to publish a public apology in two national dailies and repost it on her Facebook page within seven days.
Despite the ruling, the Senate has signalled that Senator Natasha may not be welcomed back just yet.
In an official statement released in Abuja on Sunday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the upper legislative chamber acknowledged the judgment but has not been served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling.
Adaramodu stated: “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria acknowledges that judgment was delivered on July 4, 2025, by the Federal High Court, Abuja, in the suit instituted by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. However, the Senate is yet to be served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the said judgment.”
He explained that the CTC was necessary for the Senate to thoroughly review the decision and decide on its next steps:
“Our legal representatives, who were in attendance at the proceedings, confirmed that the complete judgment was not read in open court. Consequently, we have formally applied for the CTC to enable a thorough review and informed determination of the appropriate legal response, particularly in view of the uncertainty surrounding whether the court made any direct order nullifying the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.”
Emphasising the Senate’s legal caution, Adaramodu declared: “Since no party to the case has been officially served the enrolled order of the judgment, none can enforce any perceived order or relief.”
He added that the Senate remains committed to due process and the rule of law but will not take any action that could “prejudice its legal position” until it has received and studied the certified court order.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s troubles began in March when she was suspended for six months following a heated plenary session where she accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment, allegations that triggered uproar within the Red Chamber.
Meanwhil, she has disclosed that her suspension from the Senate did not hinder her commitment to delivering democratic dividends to her constituents.
She was suspended for 6 months in March over alleged violation of Senate rules and her salaries, benefits, and security escorts withdrawn. Last week, a court ruled that the punishment was too stringent and asked the Senate to recall the lawmaker. Making the disclosure at the flag-off of the construction of two smart markets in Okene and Okehi Local Government Areas of Kogi State, Akpoti-Uduaghan said the markets, which will be sited at Ihima Central Market in Oboroke, Okehi LGA, and a new community market in Okene LGA, are designed to support local commerce, especially among women, and strengthen grassroots economic development across Kogi Central.
“Despite the suspension, I never stopped working for my people. I have been on the ground, engaged, and actively delivering on my mandate. Service to the people goes beyond politics,” she said.
Saying she remains committed to an inclusive and non-partisan approach to representation, Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed, “I represent all the good people of Kogi Central at the Senate. Politics happens during elections, and after that, it’s performance that would impact everyone irrespective of political differences.”
She said the projects, expected to be completed and commissioned in November 2025 to mark her second anniversary in office, are part of a broader development initiative targeted at improving infrastructure and livelihoods in the senatorial district.
Each market will contain 80 shops—comprising 40 lock-up shops and 40 open stalls—and will feature solar-powered electricity, boreholes, modern toilets, power sockets in each shop, truck-friendly loading bays, and streetlights to enhance security and efficiency.
The event attracted traditional rulers, youth organisations, and women groups, who commended the senator for her resilience and steadfast commitment to the development of the district in spite of political challenges. The smart markets are among several constituency interventions planned by the senator in the months ahead.